


RWBY: A Thorny Tangled Triangle

by dongyrn



Series: RWBY: Purruby [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: All Ahead Full On The Fluffy Crack Ship, F/F, Feisty Ruby Is Feisty, Freezerburn - Freeform, I Have A Weakness For Poly Ships, Multi, OT3, Purruby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-30
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-03 04:29:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 85
Words: 137,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8696608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dongyrn/pseuds/dongyrn
Summary: Pyrrha asks Ruby on a date. Blake asks Ruby on a date. Ruby accepts both. Naval battle ensues between Ladybug and Milk & Cereal, but the crews quickly board each other's ships, settle their differences, and add Pussy Magnet to their fleet. Pure relationship crack. I regret nothing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Standard Disclaimer: All rights belong to those whose rights they belong to, primarily the glorious minds at Rooster Teeth, though quite namely not me. Don't own a thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We now take a break from your regularly scheduled programming for this little slice of insanity from the half-cooked brain of yours truly.

It had all begun innocently enough.

Blake was sitting in her usual position on her bed, legs comfortably curled under her while she perused the latest installment of her romance novel series ( _not_ smut, thank you very much). She'd just gotten back from a lengthy study session with her team leader, Ruby, and while she'd enjoyed her time as usual with the hyperactive brunette (fueled by the prodigious amounts of cookies used as bribery for correct answers), right now she just wanted to relax and get lost inside a book.

Her partner, however, had other plans.

Blake jumped slightly as the blonde bruiser landed on the end of her bed, sprawled out and with her head propped up in one muscular arm.

"Sooo…" Yang drawled with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Noticed you've been spendin' a lotta time with my lil' sis, Blakey…"

The Cat Faunus pulled her book up slightly higher to hopefully cover the blush she knew was involuntarily spreading across her cheeks. "Yes, she's my friend. I've been helping her study."

"That's usually Ice Queen's job."

"Hey!" Weiss protested from across the room.

"Anywho," Yang continued, unfazed. "I don't think that's all it is. Ain't that right?"

Blake buried her nose further into her paperback. "I don't know what you're talking about," she mumbled unconvincingly.

Yang sighed, reaching out to tip the book downwards so that she might peer into Blake's eyes. "I've seen the way you've been watchin' her the past month."

"I have not been… watching her."

"Yep, you have."

"No, I have not," Blake protested adamantly. "That makes me sound creepy."

"Oookaayyy," Yang grinned. "What would you call the googly eyes you've been sendin' her way when she's not lookin' back?"

Blake let out an irritated huff. "Carefully… observing."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. She's my team leader, and I'm simply… looking out for her well-being."

The sound of Weiss' book hitting her sheets was followed closely by the heiress' sigh. "Blake, you can admit it to us. We've both seen the signs. You have a crush on Ruby."

"I _so_ do not!" Blake protested hotly, her face now a bright crimson.

"You _sooo_ do," Yang laughed.

"I… You…" Blake sputtered, the normally calm and collected girl reduced to a verbally feeble mess. "Fine. Perhaps I do."

"Ha! I knew it!" Yang shouted victoriously. "Now, then… when are ya gonna ask her out?"

"I can't just…" Blake looked at her partner askance. "Aren't you supposed to be mad at me or something? You know, as her big sister?"

Yang shrugged her shoulders unconcernedly. "You're my partner. She's my lil' sis. What, I can't want for the two of you to be happy?"

The Cat Faunus blinked at the blonde uncertainly as her mind raced, mulling over the specifics of what Yang had just implied. She cleared her throat before continuing in a whisper. "Do you think… she might… um…"

The blonde rolled onto her back and gave a groan. "Yes, alright? You never heard it from me, but yes, she kinda likes you too." She peered over at the stunned girl, her lilac eyes warm and caring. "Ask her out, already."

Blake nodded slowly, still trying to absorb how the very foundation of her understanding of their team dynamic had been quite skewed. "Alright, then… I'll, um… I'll try."

"Do or do not, there is no try!" Yang exclaimed.

"...What?"

"Never mind. So where is Rubes at, anyways?"

"Oh, well after our study session she received a message from Pyrrha about something…"

* * *

Pyrrha paced in a tight circle outside the courtyard fountain, her long red ponytail swishing behind her on every turn.

_Come on, Nikos, you can do this. This is a task set before you just like any other, one which you may easily overcome with both skill and aplomb._

She sighed despondently. _I am so screwed._

The tall huntress-in-training had first felt herself becoming drawn to a certain energetic brunette after an outing into Vale a couple of weeks ago. Ruby had been bouncing along, happily regaling the combined teams of RWBY and JNPR about her most recent modifications to her baby, _Crescent Rose_ , when Pyrrha had noticed just how her silver eyes shined when she was so excited.

_Like sparkling pools of quicksilver._

After that, she'd seemed to be unable to tear her gaze away from her, noting the small quirks and adorable mannerisms that she exhibited. And it had been her that suggested the next combined team outing, just so that she could spend more time outside of meals with the intriguing girl.

However, it wasn't until Ruby had asked to spar with her that Pyrrha realized how much she'd managed to fall for the effervescent brunette.

Combat brought out an entirely different side of Ruby, one which enthralled the Amazonian warrior even further. Razer-focused and deadly, the small girl had thrown herself into the bout with abandon, causing Pyrrha to pull out all the stops in keeping up with her. She'd still managed to eke out a win, but the victory paled in comparison to the wide grin Ruby wore afterwards.

Truthfully, she'd never enjoyed herself more in a fight.

_But still, just because I have… feelings for her, doesn't mean she might return them, or… Argh, what am I thinking? This is a terrible idea, what if this ruins our friendship? Why did I ever listen to Nora, of all people? I should just-_

"Hey, Pyrrha!"

" _Gaaah_!" the redhead wailed, flailing backwards with uncharacteristic gracelessness. She landed on the edge of the fountain, fortunately, and not inside of it, else she'd have immediately stalked off trailing what was left of her dignity.

Ruby peered down at her, silver eyes filled with concern. "Um… you okay?"

"Yes! Yes, I am fine!" Pyrrha took a deep breath and on the exhale, tried to push all of her nervousness aside. "How are you?"

"I'm good…" Ruby still looked unconvinced, but her cheerful face couldn't keep a grin off for long. "You almost took a bath, there."

"Er, yes, I noticed that…"

"So, what's up?"

"Oh, yes, um…" Pyrrha stood back up, clasping her hands in front of her. _Alright, Nikos. Woman up._ "So, I was wondering if… well… you would like to see a movie with me in Vale this afternoon?"

Ruby looked back at her blankly. "Are you… asking me out? Like, on a date?"

"Er… Perhaps?"

"Well then…" Ruby's face suddenly broke out into a wide smile. "Yeah, I'd love to!"

* * *

"Alright, so you got this, right?" Yang prompted. "Weiss and I will leave when Rubes gets back, and then you…"

Blake sat on her bed nervously, her bow twitching furiously.

"And then you…" Yang prompted once more.

"And then I ask her to dinner tonight," Blake mumbled.

"That has got to be the most unconvincing thing I've ever heard escape from your lips," Weiss declared from the edge of her bed. "Come on, Blake, you can do better than that."

Blake nodded. "Right. I will then ask her to dinner tonight."

"Better," Yang grinned. "You got this, kitten."

"Right," Blake murmured distractedly. "And don't call me kitten."

Yang opened her mouth to retort, but it snapped shut as the door to their room burst open in a flurry of rose petals.

"Guys guys guys guess what!?" Ruby chirped ecstatically. "Pyrrha asked me to go see a movie later today! I'm goin' on a date! Isn't that the coolest?"

Her happy announcement was met with a deep, shocked silence.

"Um, guys?" Ruby asked hesitantly. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing," Blake whispered brokenly, scooting back on her bed and pulling her book back up to her face once more. "Er… congratulations."

The Cat Faunus felt her shoulders hunch inwards as she experienced the overwhelming need to simply fade into nonexistence. _How could I have been so stupid… I waited too long. Well done, Belladonna. Well done._

Her gloomy thoughts were interrupted by a jolt on her bed. She blew the rose petal off of the tip of her nose, knowing full well who was perched right in front of her.

" _Blaaake_ ," Ruby cajoled sweetly. "Come on, I know you better than that… what's bugging you?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But we're friends! We talk about everything! Come on, you can-"

"I was going to ask you out for dinner, okay?" Blake blurted out. She immediately dropped her book only to clamp both hands over her mouth, her eyes wide and uncomprehending of the massive blunder she'd just made.

Ruby was inches away from her, confusion in her own pools of silver that had enchanted Blake so very much. "You… Really?"

Blake closed her eyes and nodded slowly.

"Oh… well… Hey, the movie is this afternoon, so we could still do dinner! Where did you wanna go?"

Blake's eyes shot open, her hands dropping from her mouth as it gaped incredulously. She flickered her glance over to Weiss and Yang, both of whom were now sitting on the heiress' bed. The two of them looked equally stunned.

"Ruby… You understand I was going to ask you out on a date, right?"

"Yep!"

"As in, more than friendship?"

"Yep!"

"And… Pyrrha just did the same?"

"Yep!"

Blake blinked her eyes slowly. _This must be what going mad feels like…_

"So," Ruby prompted again with a grin. "Where'd you wanna take me to dinner at?"

"Er… Well, I was thinking about this little cafe outside of Tukson's bookstore…?"

"Great!" Ruby chirped. "I'll see you at six, then!" She lunged forward and grabbed Blake into a tight hug. "Thanks for asking me out!" she said happily.

"Um, right…"

"Oh! I almost forgot, I left my study books back in the library! Be right back!"

The rose petals hadn't hit the ground before the door slammed shut once more.

Blake stared at her teammates across the room. "What… just happened?"

"Well," Weiss said slowly. "It would appear that you have a date with Ruby. After her date with Pyrrha."

"Right… Um, Yang? Why are you crying?"

Yang sniffled, wiping away a tear. "I dunno whether to be sad that Rubes is growing up so fast… or incredibly proud of what she just managed to pull off."

At that point, the door opened to reveal the orange-haired hammer-wielder from across the hall.

"Oops, forgot to knock!" Nora stated cheerfully. She turned around and rapped her knuckles on the open door. "Okay if I come in?"

"You're already in, Nora," Weiss sighed.

"Right, I am! Sooo… I saw Ruby speed away, did she tell you guys the awesome news?"

A few minutes later, Nora had returned to her dorm room across the hallway. Less than another minute after that, Pyrrha's shout was clearly audible through both closed doors.

"SHE _WHAT_?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh. A Star Wars and a Firefly reference right off the bat. I'm onna roll…
> 
> These are the kinds of things that run through my head as I try to fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning. I totally blame the brilliantly talented jefardi for this, acclaimed master of both Ladybug and Milk & Cereal. What I get for reading both Spoon Equality and Dilation before bed.
> 
> I'm going about this story a little differently from my others. There's not going to be any outside plot other than what we see right here. It exists completely outside of the RWBY timeline. Not even really going to go into much scene descriptions or the like. This is gonna be pure relationship crack. Short chapters and time skips will abound. Buckle on up.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	2. Chapter 2

Both dates had, surprisingly enough, gone off without a hitch.

Ruby enjoyed the comedic movie immensely, laughing until tears fell from her eyes. Pyrrha knew the afternoon was a success when Ruby shyly took her hand on their walk back to the airbus back to Beacon.

The brunette, however, didn't board with Pyrrha, instead turning back around and heading down the street for her next rendezvous.

Dinner with Blake was full of happy conversation, the laughter falling freely from both their lips as they enjoyed the meal. Afterward, they'd stopped by Tukson's to peruse the latest shipment of books, Ruby picking out a new adventure novel that Blake graciously paid for. On their way back to their dorm room, Ruby took hold of Blake's hand and kept it clasped within her own small grip.

All of this was regaled at the breakfast table the next morning to an uncomfortably quiet combined RWBY and JNPR teams. Even Nora, usually able to keep up with her sugar-fueled comrade effortlessly, was glancing between the three of them in silent concern.

Ruby had immediately convinced the others to change up the seating arrangements so that she was now ensconced in between Blake and Pyrrha. As she happily related her fun experience the prior day, the girls on either side of her exchanged glances over the petite brunette's head.

Pyrrha's face was determined and filled with challenge.

Blake's imperturbability was firmly in place, and she quirked an eyebrow calmly in response.

"Oh, man… best day ever, seriously," Ruby sighed contentedly. "Dunno how we can top that."

"Perhaps tonight we might go to the arcade in town," Blake quickly interjected, playing idly with the fish on her plate.

"An arcade does sound grand," Pyrrha replied right on her heels. "Would you like to go there, Ruby?"

"Yeah, I love going there!" Ruby chirped. Her brow furrowed. "Oh, but I don't wanna choose between the two of you…"

"Well, why don't the three of you go?" Jaune asked absentmindedly while attempting to spear a grape with his fork.

He immediately wilted as he was pinned in place by a pair of glares, one emerald green and the other glowing amber.

"That sounds awesome!" Ruby exclaimed. "Jaune, you're the best!"

"Heh heh," he laughed weakly. "Yeah, sure thing, Ruby…"

While Ruby began babbling once more about her favorite games in the arcade, both Pyrrha and Blake frowned down at their plates, resolve hardening in their minds.

It was _on_ , now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so… This was short. Kinda what I had in mind for some of the chapters, really, though others will be a bit lengthier. So there we go. I do pity poor, hapless Jaune, though… I get the feeling he's gonna be looking over his shoulder for some time.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	3. Chapter 3

After a rather uncomfortable dinner in the Beacon cafeteria, Ruby, Pyrrha, and Blake set out into town to visit the arcade. Ruby was happily engaging both of her dates in conversation, not really noticing that they didn't actually speak a word to each other.

Blake was first through the doors, immediately heading for the DDR machine. "Hey, Ruby, want to play this first?"

"Sure, Blakey!" the brunette chirped.

Pyrrha stood by with her arms crossed. She carefully kept the scowl from her face that she could feel trying to escape as she watched the two of them perform. Though Ruby was able to hold her own fairly well, the raven-haired girl's natural agility gave her an advantage, and she was declared victorious.

"Whew!" Ruby laughed, staggering off to the side. "Okay, Pyrrha, you get to take on the winner!"

 _How hard could this be?_ the redhead thought as she stepped up to take Ruby's place. She noted Blake's smirk out of the corner of her eye and steeled herself for the impending battle.

Soon after the dance number began, Pyrrha belatedly realized that Blake had been holding back.

The Cat Faunus nailed every step, even the most complicated ones. Pyrrha struggled to keep up, but she was hopelessly left behind as Blake was once again declared the winner, in fact breaking the current record on the machine.

"Yay, Blakey!" Ruby shouted, jumping over to give her teammate a big hug.

Pyrrha looked down at her feet, discouraged until she felt a pair of small but strong arms encircle her waist. "And you were awesome too, Pyrrha! I didn't know you could dance that well!"

The redhead chuckled halfheartedly. "Well, it is not something I have the time to do very often… What game would you like to try next, Ruby?"

"Hmm… how about…" Ruby looked around the busy room, her eyes glowing excitedly. "Oh! Let's do the shooter game!"

Blake and Pyrrha followed in her wake, the former still wearing a bit of a contented smirk. The latter, meanwhile, was resolving to wipe that particular smirk off of her face.

Ruby grabbed hold of Pyrrha once they arrived at the neon-green game cabinet, thrusting an orange cord-tethered gun into her hands. "Alright! Let's kill us some zombies!"

Pyrrha quickly got the hang of the game, scoring head shot after head shot as undead gore was splattered across the screen. Between her and Ruby, they managed to take down each boss with ease.

Meanwhile, Blake looked on, her smirk having disappeared to be replaced by her usual neutral mask that was right now covering up her concern.

Eventually, the game ended, Pyrrha having eked out a slightly better score than her date. "Nice!" Ruby cheered. "Okay, your turn Blakey!"

The Cat Faunus stepped forward and accepted her weapon with the solemnity of a gladiator girding herself for combat. She hefted it, sighting down the barrel and adjusting her stance until she gave a confident nod.

"Ready?" Pyrrha asked, the corner of her mouth quirked up in a slight smile.

"Ready," Blake confirmed, the words being the first they'd actually addressed to each other that evening.

And then the competition was on. It didn't take long for Blake to realize that, despite her skill with handheld firearms, Pyrrha was by far the better marksman.

 _I use_ Gambol Shroud _as a pistol, hers is a rifle! How can she be beating me this badly?_

There was no denying the end tally, however. While she'd come close to Ruby's previous number of points, Pyrrha had managed to outdo herself and place on the list of top scores.

"Wow, Pyrrha, you are such an amazing shot!" Ruby burbled, wrapping her arms around the much taller girl's waist.

Blake thrust her pistol into the holster irritably, though she was slightly cheered up by Ruby's subsequent hug. "And you were great too, Blakey! Really gave those zombies a run!"

"Thanks, Ruby," she murmured, blushing from the second hug she'd gotten already that evening. Her face stilled once she noticed the smirk that now graced Pyrrha's face, before settling into a mask of resolve.

"Hey, the air hockey table is open!" Ruby declared excitedly. "C'mon guys, you two play first this time!"

Pyrrha and Blake faced off, paddles held determinedly, as Ruby cheered them on equally from the sidelines. Amazon Warrior and Cat Ninja looked at each other with determined glares, poised and ready for the drop of the hockey puck.

Without warning, the machine spat out the flat disk, sending it careening towards Blake first. She shot her paddle out, striking it with a glancing blow that made it ricochet off of the walls. Pyrrha intercepted it and returned it with force, straight at Blake.

The game went back and forth, each girl battling for dominance. Blake scored first but was immediately answered with one from Pyrrha. The scores remained even right up until the match point.

Pyrrha received the puck next, but a finger on the hand holding her paddle brushed it and slowed it down.

"Oops," she murmured.

Blake blinked uncertainly, unsure as to what the protocol was for such an occurrence, but Pyrrha simply pushed the metal puck towards her gently.

Not willing to let an advantage go to waste, Blake hammered it back at the redhead, who adroitly sent it back again, bouncing off of the walls.

The raven-haired girl lined up her block carefully… only to have the puck inexplicably take the last bounce at an angle that shouldn't have been possible. It flew past her defense and into the goal.

"Yay, Pyrrha!" Ruby exclaimed, giving out her now-customary post-game hug.

Blake stared down at the table incredulously. _How did that… waitaminute… metal… puck…_

She glanced up and into the once again smirking visage of her opponent, internally seething as Ruby gave her another hug as well.

_This means war._

* * *

The night progressed, as did the two girls' rivalry, becoming more and more combative as they found new ways to test each other's mettle. Combat games, skee ball, cooperative dungeon slaying… Each one was quickly mastered, though the two of them were fairly well matched as far as number of wins.

It was only after they'd somehow managed to tie in the latest round of skeeball that the pair realized Ruby was no longer there and giving them hugs after their game.

"How long has she been gone?" Pyrrha asked worriedly.

"I… I don't know," Blake admitted, chagrined. "I think the last hug I got was… Dungeon Masters?"

"Oh, no…" Pyrrha breathed. "That was a couple of games ago…"

They roamed the arcade, calling out Ruby's name to no avail. Eventually, they wandered outside, peering out into the dark.

"Do you… think she went home?" Blake asked hesitantly.

Pyrrha was about to reply when the Faunus held up her hand, senses straining. She could hear, ever so faintly…

A girl crying.

Her heart fell straight into her boots as she shot Pyrrha a worried glance. Together the two of them rounded the corner of the building to find the brunette sitting in the middle of a bench, her cloak wrapped around herself with the hood pulled up.

Pyrrha and Blake slowly walked over and sat on either side of her, unsure of what to say.

The brunette sniffled, wiping her face with the hem of her cloak. "I thought this was gonna be an even better date than the ones yesterday," she whispered brokenly. "I mean, having the two of you together would mean twice as fun, right?"

The other two girls shared a guilty look. "Um," Blake began. "We might have gotten a bit…"

"...Competitive," Pyrrha finished quietly. "We're sorry, Ruby."

"Yeah, we are," Blake agreed. With unspoken consent, the two of them leaned in and wrapped their arms around the smaller girl.

They sat like that for a while, quietly staring out into the dark as Ruby's sniffles died down.

"I don't want you guys to fight," Ruby finally murmured. "I mean, if it means that you're gonna be at each other's throats, then I just don't want to do this at all, okay? We can just go back to… to what we had before."

Pyrrha and Blake looked at each other once more, even further guilt etched across both of their faces.

"But I really don't wanna go back to the way it was before," Ruby continued. "I really, really like both of you, and I have lots of fun with you... " She sighed despondently. "This was a bad idea. Maybe… maybe we should just do separate dates again."

"Do you truly want to do that?" Pyrrha murmured. "Er, go on individual dates?"

"Not really," the brunette mumbled. "But I don't want you guys to fight, either."

"I think…" Blake began cautiously. "Maybe we could agree to a truce?"

"Definitely," Pyrrha replied, her emerald eyes shining with the knowledge of how much their actions had hurt Ruby. "Because, in the end, your happiness is what is important, Ruby."

"And I don't want to go back to how things were before, either," Blake added solemnly.

"Neither do I," Pyrrha agreed.

Ruby pulled the hood of her cloak back, her gaze switching between the two of them with hope shining in her silver orbs. "You mean that? Really?"

"Yes, really," Pyrrha chuckled.

"You know," Blake mused playfully. "I seem to remember a racing game in the back with a number of linked seats. We could all play at once."

"Yay!" Ruby cheered, quickly reverting to her normally effervescent self again. "Let's go, then!"

She grabbed both girls by the hand, not relinquishing her hold on them as they jogged back into the arcade.

Blake shared a tentative smile with Pyrrha, as they both reflected on the knowledge that they'd be willing to go far to keep Ruby this happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad Blake and Pyrrha, you made Ruby cry! Sad Ruby is sad. But now happy again, so yay! Bit of a longer chapter this time, but like I mentioned, they'll be inconsistent like that. At first I wasn't entirely sure what such a tri ship would even be called (Ladybug Cereal?), but then the esteemed Jefardi mentioned that it's known as Purruby. And that is all sorts of adorable.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	4. Chapter 4

The truce between Blake and Pyrrha lasted for all of half the next day. Breakfast was actually a rather cordial affair, the three of them glossing over the actions that almost made a disaster of the prior evening. Smiles were shared as they reminisced on the fun they had with the racing game.

The combined teams of RWBY and JNPR visibly relaxed at the new atmosphere.

Even Professor Port's class, normally the dullest of all the classes they took, was made better for Ruby when Blake and Pyrrha agreed to change seats and place themselves on either side of the small brunette.

It was during the walk to lunch where things went wrong once more.

Pyrrha had casually asked Ruby if she wanted to stop by her dorm that evening to watch a movie with her team, making the innocent mistake of not including Blake in that offer.

The Cat Faunus' eyes narrowed. "Actually, tonight is our regular study night."

"Aww, but Blakey…"

"You should really catch up on your work for Oobleck's class. Right, Weiss?"

Blake gazed at the heiress with a look of pleading in her eyes. Instead of backing her up, however, Weiss simply looked away guiltily, not wanting to become involved.

_Traitor._

"Really, Blake," the redhead interjected, her voice slightly yet uncharacteristically forceful. "I think a simple movie wouldn't cut too greatly into your studying time…"

"Well, as her teammate, I believe I might have a better idea of what her best interests are here."

"Do you truly? Or are you merely manipulating her time?" Pyrrha retorted levelly.

Blake sucked in a quick breath at the blatant accusation. "I don't know what-"

"Hey!" Ruby yelled angrily, bringing the conversation and their travel to a grinding halt. The short girl was standing behind them, arms crossed irritably.

Pyrrha and Blake had only time for a brief shared glance of guilt, one that they were becoming far more used to than they should have been, before the brunette pointed towards the doors past the cafeteria.

"Outside. Now."

"Ooohhh, you're in trouuuble…" Nora whispered as the three walked by.

"Quiet, Nora," Pyrrha hissed, her face blushing in shame.

Blake and Pyrrha sat beside each other on a bench while Ruby paced back and forth in front of them, the pair regarding her abashedly.

"I thought we already covered this," Ruby began, her voice slipping into team-leader mode. "Was there, or was there not, a truce?"

"Yes, but-" Blake began

"Ah-pupupup!" the brunette cut her off in a remarkably decent imitation of a certain white-haired heiress. "Were you somehow under the mistaken impression that said truce only existed for last night?"

"I suppose not," Pyrrha sighed, looking down at the ground.

"That's right. I expect the two of you to hold to this, understand?"

Pyrrha and Blake nodded glumly. The Cat Faunus glanced aside at the girl sitting next to her.

"I might have been… a little overzealous in wanting Ruby's time tonight."

Pyrrha nodded, accepting the apology for what it was. "And I should have invited you for the movie as well. I am sorry for that, truly."

"So, the truce still holds?" Ruby asked, her gaze softening as she regarded the pair.

Both of them nodded again.

"Good. And not just for tonight, either," the petite brunette declared, stopping to face them with crossed arms. "I mean it, I don't want you guys fighting."

"Right, no fighting," Blake nodded.

"And you two can go back to being friends again?"

"We… We shall try," Pyrrha agreed after another shared glance with Blake.

Ruby let out a huff, her silver eyes shining with emotion. "I don't mind going out on separate dates with you sometimes, but I really want what we had last night. The three of us."

Pyrrha blinked her eyes uncertainly as it dawned on her what Ruby was requesting. "You mean to say… What would we even call this?"

"A tri, I believe," Blake answered quietly, thinking back to certain novels she'd read. "And I'm willing to give it a shot. For you, Ruby."

The redhead nodded slowly. "I am… not sure what all this entails… but…" She glanced between the two of them. "I really do like you, Ruby. And Blake, we were friends before this. I hope we can be so again?"

"We can," Blake conceded with a slight smile.

Ruby clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay! Now, hug it out, you two!"

The other two girls laughed and leaned in for a quick hug. It was lengthened by the simple expedient of Ruby throwing herself upon them, squealing with joy as she held on to them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was a thing. This was the final turning point for Blake and Pyrrha, one last misunderstanding before they really comprehend and accept (or at least begin to accept) what they're getting into with Ruby. Honestly, both their hearts are in the right place, it's just taken some adjustment to come to terms with the fact that Ruby really, truly does want a relationship with the both of them.
> 
> And now, just because I've always, always, always wanted to do one of these, I present to you… an omake!
> 
> \----------
> 
> Ruby clapped her hands excitedly. "Yay! Now, kiss!"
> 
> "..."
> 
> "Guys? Hellooo, guys? Blake? Purrha, er, I mean, Pyrrha?" Ruby sighed, tapping her foot on the ground impatiently. "Well, they have to come up for air eventually…"
> 
> \----------
> 
> Does that count as an omake? I think it does. Whelp, till next time! Stay shiny!


	5. Chapter 5

Yang considered herself to be a good big sister. Certainly, she'd given Ruby her fair share of ribbing over this whole dating-two-girls-at-the-same-time thing, but there might have been just a _teeny_ bit of impressed jealousy behind that. Eventually, she'd been as supportive as she could be for her baby sister, who really wasn't a little girl anymore.

How could she not? All she'd ever wanted was for Ruby to be happy. Seeing her at Beacon, blossoming into a confident, courageous team leader, was a joy to behold.

But what was going on right now, however, was _not_ okay in the slightest.

She'd watched her sister, red cloak trailing angrily behind her as she stalked at the head of the three-person entourage, head outside to deliver a well-deserved chiding.

This was not happy Ruby. This was highly irritated, perhaps even upset Ruby. And that simply would not do.

Because when it came right down to it, she had more faith in Blake making her sister happy than Pyrrha. The redhead was a friend, certainly, but Blake was her partner, and she knew her better than just about anyone else save for Ruby herself.

Yang Xiao Long was nothing if not loyal. And so she decided to take it into her own hands to swing things in Blake's favor.

Granted, her current plan wasn't all that effective. It might be called childish, even.

She'd left the cafeteria with a squeezy bottle of ketchup in hand, stalking behind the bench where Pyrrha and Blake sat. She didn't pay too much attention to the actual conversation going on, instead trying to decide where she was going with this.

_Should I maybe drench Pyrrha in the ketchup, make her look foolish? No, Ruby would just feel bad for her… Hmm, maybe spill a pool of it and make her slip, show her to be more uncoordinated than Blakey… Ugh, why didn't I think this through better…?_

Her ruminations were cut off by the rustling of the bushes next to her. Peering to the side, she noticed Nora creeping forward, something clutched in her hand.

"Nora!" she hissed to the orange-haired girl. "What are you doing?"

Nora glanced over, guiltily, and Yang finally saw what was in her hands.

A squeezy bottle of yellow mustard.

Narrowed lilac eyes locked onto determined turquoise ones. Each girl took a cautious step forward towards the bench and their target, waiting for the other to make a move with their weapon of choice.

* * *

Ruby paced back and forth in front of the bench, irritation radiating from her every fiber.

"I am very disappointed in the two of you," she declared. "What were you thinking?"

"But-"

"Ah-pupupup!" she cut off the protest, hand upraised. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, channeling Weiss so hard that it would not have been a surprise if her hair had spontaneously turned white. "I mean, seriously. What on earth were you two thinking?"

A chagrined Yang sat on the bench next to an equally embarrassed Nora. The both of them were covered in ketchup and mustard.

"I guess we weren't, really," the blonde sighed, staring miserably at the bangs in front of her face as bright yellow mustard dripped down from them and into her lap.

"You're darn tootin', you weren't," Ruby continued.

"Heh," Nora giggled. "She said tootin'."

"And as for you, Miss Valkyrie," Ruby barked suddenly, causing the orange-haired girl to sit upright with a startled _eep_. "Ren will be hearing about this."

" _Nooo_ ," Nora wailed. "Not that! Anything but that!"

"Oh, yes. That." Ruby gave them a tight grin. "Now, can we put this behind us, please? And agree to stay out of our business?"

"But Rubes, I just-" Yang snapped her mouth shut at the glare Ruby sent her way, instead just giving her a tiny nod.

"Yeah, okay," Nora sighed, dreading the scolding she was going to receive from her partner.

"Alright, then," Ruby said cheerfully. "So, hug it out, already!"

Nora gleefully tackled Yang, making sure to rub even more condiments into her hair. "No hard feelings, blondie!" she yelled before racing off.

"Dammit, Nora, I'm gonna get you for that!" Yang hollered as she took off in hot pursuit, giggling all the way.

Ruby shook her head as she headed back into the cafeteria. "And they call _me_ the immature one?" she wondered rhetorically.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Yang meant well, but she really, really didn't think out her plan beforehand. I love writing Ruby be forceful, because you know she'll still look adorable doing it.
> 
> And now, because I just can't seem to help myself, I present to you yet another omake:
> 
> \----------
> 
> "Alright, then," Ruby said cheerfully. "Now, kiss!"
> 
> "..."
> 
> "Guys? Hey, guys? Oh, come onnn…" Ruby sighed, sipping from her pink lemonade juice box. "Why am I always the spectator here?"
> 
> \----------
> 
> Okay, so maybe I'm the only one besides growlscout who finds these funny. At least I amuse myself.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	6. Chapter 6

"So, Ruby…" Weiss murmured as she sat across from her partner at the library table. Today was her turn at tutoring, which honestly she didn't mind nearly as much anymore ever since Blake had agreed to split the duties with her. _Little did I realize her ulterior motives at the time…_

"What's up, Weiss?" Ruby murmured back absently. She finished the paragraph she was writing for her history paper before looking at at the heiress with a smile. "You ready to go over the quiz with me?"

"Er, not just yet, no… I was wondering, though…"

"Yeeesss…?" Ruby drawled, a humorous glint in her eyes.

_Perhaps she already knows what I'm about to ask. Oum knows it's been eating at me long enough._

"So you and Blake… _and_ Pyrrha…"

Ruby giggled quietly. "I know, it's kinda awesome, isn't it?"

"Er, yes…" Weiss looked at her chipper partner in perplexion. "Well, actually… no. I don't get it, quite frankly."

"What's there not to get?" Ruby asked, her grin widening. "They both like me. I really like both of them." She leaned in conspiratorially. "And they're both _suuuper_ cute!"

With another quiet giggle, the brunette returned to her paper once more.

Weiss blinked her eyes uncertainly. "And… that's all there is to it?"

"Yep!"

"But… But what about…"

"Weiss," the brunette sighed affectionately, putting her pen down once more. "You're overthinking this."

"I don't see how it's quite possible for me to overthink this," Weiss muttered irritably. "You're dating two girls at the same time!"

"Yep!"

"I just…" The heiress huffed out a breath. "You do realize that they are both very interested in you, correct?"

"Well, I would hope so, 'cause I sure as heck am interested in both of them!"

Weiss resisted the urge to bang her head repeatedly against the table. "Ruby…"

"I understand, Weiss, really." She looked up into her partner's silver eyes that were currently shining warmly. "You're concerned for me and for Blake. I'm guessing Pyrrha too, since we're all friends… But you know why I'm not concerned about getting hurt?"

Weiss shook her head slowly, slightly surprised. She'd thought that the real intricacies of what she'd gotten herself into would have escaped the socially-awkward girl, but she was displaying a rather remarkable amount of maturity about the whole thing. Well, remarkable for her, at least.

"They're both trying," Ruby whispered eagerly. "They both want this, they want a relationship with me enough that they're willing to work together on it. And _that_ ," she grinned widely, "is all _kinds_ of awesome!"

Weiss had to stifle an abrupt laugh. "Well, I suppose I can see that," she conceded. "But what about, er… more than just hanging out and going on dates?"

"What, you mean like kissing and other stuff?"

Weiss sighed. "Yes, Ruby, precisely."

"Well, if it happens, it happens. I'm not gonna worry about or rush it." Ruby giggled once more. "I can dream about it, but I'm not gonna worry about it."

With that, she bowed her head once more and turned her attention back to her paper.

Weiss tried to do the same, but her thoughts were a chaotic whirl as she pondered what Ruby had revealed.

 _Could it really be that simple for her?_ she wondered. _And… I wonder what the others think?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, there we have Ruby's thoughts on the whole shebang so far. Simplistic? Perhaps, but it might be argued that it could easily be boiled down to just that. So long as there's trust, mutual respect, and an effort to meet in the middle, anything is possible. And next up we'll hear from Blake!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	7. Chapter 7

Blake was resting comfortably in one of her favorite spots, under a wide tree that blocked out most of the light but still allowed enough sun through the leaves to feel the warmth. Her knees were drawn up to her chest while her book rested on them, but she was far from content.

Her eyes had been roaming across the same page for nearly five minutes now without registering what the words were, much to her irritation.

The cause of such distraction was a certain blonde partner of hers, currently lying on her back in the grass with her legs splayed outwards. She was gazing up at the sky and humming tunelessly, supposedly respecting her need for some private time while still keeping her company.

The Cat Faunus knew better.

Finally, she couldn't take it any longer and flipped her book shut after marking her place.

"Go on, Yang, spit it out."

"Who, me?" her partner replied with feigned innocence. "What makes you think I had anythin' to say?"

Blake leveled her look at the blonde bruiser, the look that said she was just about done with whatever excrement her current object of irritation was dishing out, and it would be best to change their tune now before violence ensued.

"Okay, okay," Yang grinned unabashedly, raising her hands in surrender. She sat up cross-legged with her elbows resting on her knees and her hands held loosely in front of her. "So, kitten, how's it going with Ruby?"

"It's… going," Blake replied hesitantly. "And don't call me kitten."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"We just did, and I told you not to call me it. Not that you ever listen to me."

"Blake."

She glanced up at the seriousness in her partner's voice. Yang's lilac eyes were riveted on her own, searching for something.

"Yang… It's fine, really."

"I'm just sayin', it's gotta be a little weird sharing your crush with another girl."

"It's…" Blake hesitated, searching for the right word. "Different."

Yang threw her head back and laughed uproariously. "Different? Yeah, okay, that's putting it mildly. So the two of you, you and Pyrrha, patched things up?"

Blake nodded slowly. "We've agreed to… well, share."

"Hmm."

"For Ruby's sake."

"Uh-huh." Yang regarded her skeptically. "So, your friend and team leader, who you've been carrying a whoppin' big torch for…"

"Not _that_ big a torch," Blake grumbled.

"...Finally agrees to go out with you, but wants you to share her with another girl. Also a friend, but not someone you're romantically attracted to."

The Cat Faunus sighed. "I suppose that's an adequate summary of the situation."

"Oh, man…" Yang chuckled. "You got it real bad for her, kitten."

Blake hung her head dejectedly. "Yeah. Yeah, I do, Yang." She shot a glare past her bangs at the blonde. "And stop calling me kitten."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a little insight into how Blake's looking at the arrangement. Short chapter this time around (I think the author's notes are as long as the chapter itself, lol). Next chapter we'll check in with Pyrrha…
> 
> Blake's look, a.k.a. "I am 800% done with your shit right now."
> 
> Stay shiny!


	8. Chapter 8

_He's really begun to show improvement,_ Pyrrha thought to herself as she blocked a sword thrust from Jaune. In return, she spun _Milo_ in a tight circle, hoping to drive the blond boy backwards, but he easily caught it on his own shield.

They'd decided to take advantage of the nice weather and do some daytime sparring on the rooftop, the team leader grateful as always for Pyrrha's mentorship. Today, though, it seemed as if the boy had something else on his mind.

 _I can only imagine what it might be_ , echoed the sarcastic musing in her head.

Eventually, they separated, both breathing heavily. "Okay if we break for a few?" Jaune asked.

"Certainly," she agreed. They headed towards the back wall and slumped down next to each other, sipping from their water bottles.

It took her partner less time than she'd expected to broach the anticipated subject. "I'm worried about you, Pyrrha."

His opening sentence, though, actually took her aback. "Worried? About me? Whatever for?"

"This… thing you have going on, with Ruby and Blake."

"Yes…?" she prompted gently. She knew he cared for her as a friend and team leader and was just looking out for her. Still, he sometimes came off as an overprotective big brother when it came to sheltering his team from outside forces. _Not that it normally bothers me overmuch, but in this case…_

"I just don't want to see you get hurt," he explained hurriedly, his words falling out in a rush now. "I mean, Ruby's my friend too, heck she's the first one I made here. But she's younger than us, right? What if she can't handle it? What if she decides to choose Blake over you? What if she somehow breaks your heart over all of this? What if Blake becomes a problem? What if-"

Pyrrha reached over and laid her hand briefly against Jaune's lips, cutting off the manic rant. "Jaune. I'm a big girl, and I can take care of myself, though I do appreciate your concern. But as far as Ruby's age or maturity is concerned… I do believe you might be selling her short."

Jaune snorted humorously. "No pun intended?"

The redhead slapped him lightly on the arm. "Stop that," she chided with an affectionate smile.

"Sorry, didn't mean to make fun of your… Wait, so is she your girlfriend? Is Blake?"

"I…" Pyrrha chewed on her bottom lip. "We… haven't really discussed it yet. As of now, we are simply dating."

"I'd think that'd be something you'd want to get some clarity about," Jaune pressed.

Pyrrha shrugged. "Perhaps we'll discuss it at our next date."

The blond sighed, resting his head against the wall. "You would really go through all of this for her, huh?"

She smiled softly, gazing into the distance. "Ruby is unlike any other person I've ever met. She's so… pure. Happy and caring of everyone around her. And yet under all that lies a backbone of steel and a true warrior." Glancing over at Jaune, her smile widened. "I can't help but be attracted to her. So yes, I will go to great lengths to have a relationship with her, even if it means… sharing her with Blake."

"Wow," Jaune murmured, his eyes wide. "You really do love her, don't you?"

"I did not say anything about love!" she protested, her blushing face telling otherwise.

"Uh-huh. You keep telling yourself that, Pyrrha." The blond boy regarded his partner levelly. "And Blake's cool with all this now, too?"

"Yes, we've come to an agreement. Not the specifics, necessarily, but… We're friends. And we both care for Ruby enough to make this work if Ruby wants it to. Which she adamantly does."

"Wow," he repeated softly, returning his gaze to the horizon. "So I guess that means Blake loves Ruby just as much, huh?"

Pyrrha's brow furrowed, unwilling to deny her feelings for Ruby again out loud. It was difficult to when Jaune had indeed hit upon the truth.

She was wholeheartedly in love with the small brunette girl with the silver eyes that filled her soul with joy.

And yes, she supposed, that meant Blake felt the same way most likely.

The two of them were going to need to have a conversation sooner rather than later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize I might get some pitchforks thrown my way from my portrayal of Jaune being so platonic with Pyrrha. I can ship Arkos as being best buds. Stop judging me, dammit.
> 
> So, we got some reflection out of the way, ending with a bit of an epiphany for Pyrrha. What's up for the next chapter? Well, how about an actual date with the three of them that they've all agreed to? I think that'd be fun, no?
> 
> And you know what? Just because these amuse the heck outta me (and growlscout, hugs), here be another omake!
> 
> \----------
> 
> "I did not say anything about love!" she protested, her blushing face telling otherwise.
> 
> They looked at each other askance, conflicting emotions running through their minds…
> 
> When suddenly Ruby popped up out of nowhere. "And… kiss!" she exclaimed gleefully.
> 
> Pyrrha glanced over at her irrepressible girlfriend. "No."
> 
> "But-"
> 
> "No, Ruby."
> 
> "But think of the fans!" the brunette pleaded. "Arkos must be preserved!"
> 
> "Ruby, I have no idea what you're talking about, but your cookies are cut off for the day."
> 
> "Aw, maaannn…"
> 
> \----------
> 
> Personally, I think Ruby just has a thing about watching people kiss.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	9. Chapter 9

Tonight was the night. The three of them, Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha, were going out on a date together. Promises were made to behave (such guarantees were gathered from a pouting Ruby as well to not overindulge on the sweets), and they all cordially agreed on the movie to watch.

They walked with Ruby in the middle and arm in arm into the theater, retrieved drinks and snacks from the concessions stands (two small sodas for Blake and Pyrrha while Ruby had the biggest icee they served), and found good seats in the middle of the theater. There was plenty of time before the movie started, even before the previews began.

Plenty of time for Pyrrha to broach the subject that had been knocking around in her head for the last couple of days.

"Ruby?" she asked quietly. "May I ask a question?"

"Sure, Pyrrha, what's up?" the brunette replied cheerfully, turning from where she sat in between her two dates to give her full attention.

The redhead cleared her throat, glancing at Blake briefly. The Cat Faunus evidently knew something of import was about to be imparted, whatever it might be, as her bow twitched towards her curiously.

"What are we to you?"

Ruby's cheerful face morphed into confusion. "Um… Not following you."

"Sorry," Pyrrha apologized. "I mean to say… well… Am I… that is, are Blake and I your girlfriends?"

The small brunette once more wore a smile on her face, though this time the wattage was turned up high enough to power a small town. "Do you wanna be?"

Pyrrha blinked her eyes uncertainly, not expecting the question to be turned back upon her. "Er… yes?"

Ruby twisted around to regard her teammate. "How 'bout you, Blakey?"

"I… would like that, yes." Blake's usual small grin was wider than normal, and the redhead supposed her own was quite extensive as well.

"Okay, then!" Ruby exclaimed. She held her oversized gallon of frozen sweetness up in front of her with both of her small hands. "To my girlfriends!"

Laughing, both Blake and Pyrrha tapped their cups together with her. "To our girlfriend," they chimed merrily.

Once the movie started, Pyrrha had to admit that the crafty petite girl had quite the system worked out. She held her giant drink in between her knees so that both hands would be otherwise occupied holding those of the girl on either side of her, bending down to sip from the overly long straw. Every time something funny would happen, the brunette would squeeze her hand in tune with her giggling, the sound like soothing music that Pyrrha knew she'd never, ever get tired of hearing.

At one point, when Ruby was practically wheezing from laughter, her drink threatening to spill out of her lap from her bouncing about, Pyrrha glanced over to catch Blake's eye. The raven-haired girl was grinning widely, her amber eyes twinkling in humor from Ruby's contagious enthusiasm.

Remarkably enough, Ruby had managed to finish her entire drink by the time credits began to roll.

Unsurprisingly, as a result of this, the small brunette disappeared in a flash of rose petals as soon as the lights came up, a high-pitched "Gottagopeebye" trailing behind her.

"Well," Pyrrha smiled as she rose from her seat. "I think that this counts as a successful date."

"I agree completely," Blake smiled back. She made to turn and head down the aisle, but paused and turned back.

"Thank you, by the way."

"Oh?" Pyrrha asked, puzzled. "For what?"

"For… clarifying that. I didn't really even think about it much… but I suppose it was good to have it resolved. We, you and I, are her girlfriends." Blake gave Pyrrha a soft smile. "Also, I'm glad we're back to being friends."

"You know what, Blake? So am I."

The two girls strolled out of the theater and into the lobby, chatting idly about the merits of the movie they'd just seen. They paused in the middle of the large area, unsure as to which of the numerous bathrooms Ruby had used, but hopefully she'd spot them where they were.

"Can I tell you something, Blake?" the redhead asked hesitantly as they stood there waiting.

"Of course, Pyrrha. What's on your mind?"

Pyrrha fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "I… You must know by now how much I care for Ruby… And, of course, I can see how much you do the same…"

"Well, that would be why we're all here, doing this," Blake replied wryly.

"Yes, that's true… I think, though…" Pyrrha sighed, looking out the front doors of the theater and into the dark night. "I think I might actually be in love with her," she finished in a whisper.

"Oh," Blake murmured.

"I mean, I have never felt like this before for anyone else…"

"No, I understand," Blake interjected softly. "I… suppose I feel the same, really. There's just something about her, isn't there?"

"Yes," Pyrrha smiled. "There certainly is."

"Well, then." Blake absently adjusted the bow on her head to make sure it was still firmly in place. "Um… where does that leave the two of us?"

"As I see it, we both want what is best for her, but more than that, we want her to be happy."

"Agreed. And, given that…" Blake glanced over at the slightly taller woman with a small grin. "Well, I think we respect each other enough to make this continue to work, don't you?"

"I do indeed." Pyrrha tapped her finger against her belt idly. "I think… perhaps we can still do separate things with Ruby. I know you have your study times and team situations, and I do enjoy sparring with her…"

Blake nodded. "Yes, I agree. We should share some of the time with her alone. But, for the most part…"

"...We keep doing the joint outings," Pyrrha finished for her. "She really does seem to enjoy it when we all go out on a group date."

"Yes, she does." Blake turned to face Pyrrha fully, her face solemn. "I will make a promise to you, Pyrrha Nikos. I will work with you on this as best as I can, without complaint."

"I will pledge the same to you, Blake Belladonna," the redhead smiled. "And, perhaps… we should go on an outing as well, just by ourselves? I don't believe we've ever gotten to simply, er, 'hang out' together before. And if we're going to be cooperating so closely, we should get to know each other better."

"I like that idea," Blake smiled back. The two of them shared a warm hug, tied together by their love for a certain effervescent petite brunette who was worth the world to them.

Said brunette joined in the hug with a high-pitched squeal.

"Oh my Oum you guys I'm so excited I heard some of that and you're gonna hang out and become best friends and we're gonna be so happy together…" Ruby sucked in a deep breath with a huge _whoosh_ of noise. "I am the luckiest girl in all of Remnant!" she finally cheered.

The three of them remained in their embrace for a while, sharing in their laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, wait, did you think this was a romance story with Ruby as the main character? Nope, sorry. This is actually a romance story between Blake and Pyrrha, with Ruby as the supporting character. Sneaky, no? Have no fear, though, it's not like they're gonna push Ruby aside or anything. In fact, one might say that Ruby is the Alpha in their little group.
> 
> And it'll likely change again further down the line. Did you not read the fine print? Sanity should be left at the door. There's plenty of jars there, leave them alongside the one with my soul. (It's the tiny black one that seems to stare at you no matter where you stand.)
> 
> Anyways, I've been really, really looking forward to getting this chapter out. Almost as much as another trio of chapters further down the line. Things are happening! The crack is real!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	10. Chapter 10

Blake walked through the halls of the dormitory, humming to herself quietly. It was an odd habit she'd picked up lately, one that seemed to be indicative of her mood.

Which, much to her surprise, had been unprecedentedly positive over the last few days.

Ruby was her girlfriend.

She let a small smile creep across her face at the thought.

Ruby was her _girlfriend_.

True, she wasn't her only girlfriend… that honor was now shared with a certain tall and leggy redhead who lived across the hall. But, she and Pyrrha had come to an understanding. No, it was more than that, really… It felt like more of a pact. A bond, of sorts, that the two of them now shared over their mutual love for the diminutive brunette who had so effortlessly captured their hearts.

Her smile made another appearance as she reflected on how her internal conversations had become even more flowery and romantic than usual. And for her, that was saying something.

Nothing in the varied books she had read could have prepared her for the relationship she now found herself in. The Cat Faunus knew that questions still prevailed with her other teammates, with those from Team JNPR, and certainly their classmates who couldn't contain their stares when the three of them would walk through campus, Ruby in the middle and cheerfully bouncing along while holding her and Pyrrha's hands.

But other people's opinions didn't matter, which in and of itself was another remarkable mental shift for the Faunus who still wore a bow on the top of her head.

Blake stopped as she arrived at her room, composing her face back into her customary neutral mask in case they had company over. Though there was really only one person she was looking forward to seeing after having spent most of the evening finishing up her paper in the library.

The love of her life, her rose, her heart…

She snorted to herself softly. _I really have become overly melodramatic._

With a slow push, she let herself into her room, amber eyes flickering around. There were no guests inside, but neither was her girlfriend.

She felt her ears sag under her bow, which earned a chuckle from her unusually perceptive partner.

"Heya Blakey, looking for Rubes?"

She glanced up at the blonde bruiser currently sprawled out across her upper bunk bed, in her pajamas and catching up on some reading for their history class.

With a sigh she walked the rest of the way inside, dropping her books off on her desk. "Am I really that obvious now?" she asked wryly.

She caught the inelegant snort from Weiss, who was likewise ready for bed but seated at her desk and working on her own paper.

"Maybe only to us," Yang cheerfully replied. "Anyway, she told me to tell you, that she an' Pyrrha are watchin' a movie across the hall. The rest of Juniper are out doin' other stuff. You're supposed to get pj's on and join 'em when you can."

_Well, that will be different._

So far the interactions of the trio were mostly confined to public spaces, or at the least with other friends around. This would be the first time they had some privacy to enjoy each other's company.

The thought caused her heart to flutter slightly

 _No, I am not nervous. Stop that,_ she directed at her body firmly.

In response, her body decided to release a small flock of butterflies through her stomach.

_I truly hate you sometimes._

She gave Yang a nod as she walked over to her dresser to change into her yukata sleepwear. "How has your day been?" she asked cordially. One of the drawbacks of wanting to spend as much time as possible with Ruby was reduced time with her partner, aside from their usual training and sparring sessions.

"Eh, you know," Yang replied breezily. "Same ol', same ol'."

"No more food fights with Nora?" she smirked.

"Nope, I'm behaving myself, honest!"

Weiss let out a soft snicker. "That would be the day," the heiress murmured.

"Hey, Princess, I'll have you know-"

"Yang," the Faunus interrupted, wanting to make a break for it before the two got into it yet again. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Okay, kitten! Don't stay out too late, now! Have fun!"

"Thank you, Yang. And stop calling me kitten."

"Yep, you bet, that's the last time, I swear!"

She rolled her eyes humorously as she closed the door behind her. Crossing the short hallway, she hesitantly knocked on Team JNPR's door.

"It's open!" she heard Pyrrha call out from within.

Blake quickly stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her, glancing around warily. Ruby, wearing her usual decorated black tank top and heart-dotted white pajama pants, and Pyrrha, in her long red nightshirt, were indeed the only occupants in the room, lounging on Pyrrha's bed. Well, to be more accurate, Pyrrha was sitting against her headboard and propped up among her pillows while Ruby was lying with her legs outstretched and her head cradled against Pyrrha's chest.

"Blake!" the small brunette cheered, her silver eyes sparkling. "You're just in time!"

"Just in time for what?" she smiled, her mood always brightened by her girlfriend's enthusiasm.

"To give me cuddles, of course!"

Laughing, Blake obliged, stretching out on the bed and resting her head in Ruby's lap. "Hello," she said warmly, looking up and into Ruby's laughing eyes.

"Hey, yourself," Ruby giggled. "We're watchin' Dust Warrior 5, that okay with you?"

Blake groaned good-naturedly. "Oh, I suppose. No romance movie, Pyrrha?"

"No," Pyrrha replied with a grin. "My choice was overruled. Hello, by the way."

Blake gave her a friendly smile. "Hello, Pyrrha. How were your days?"

It was odd, really, listening to their little group discuss such trivialities, so domestic in nature. Just like a normal couple would, but in this case there were the three of them.

_I suppose all it takes is just a change in mindset to adjust._

Eventually, they settled down to watch the movie being projected against the far wall. Blake found it difficult to concentrate, even though she'd seen the movie before (the series was a favorite of both Yang and Ruby's after all). After a while, she was able to discern the feeling in the back of her head.

She was being watched.

Blake glanced upwards as nonchalantly as possible, hoping to catch Ruby in the act. Instead of silver eyes locked onto her own, however, it was a pair of emerald ones that guiltily looked away.

"Is there something wrong, Pyrrha?"

"Oh! No, no not at all…"

Ruby craned her neck to look between the two of them before her grin widened knowingly. "You know, Blakey," she began casually. "You don't need to wear your bow in here. Kinda like in our own room, right?"

Blake considered this carefully. While it was true all of JNPR knew and accepted the fact that she was a Faunus, only her own team had actually seen her second set of ears.

_Pyrrha knows, and she trusts me with this relationship… I can trust her. And… the thought of it doesn't really bother me all that much._

Her eyebrows quirked in startlement at the revelation, but she supposed it shouldn't have been all that surprising, really. She and Pyrrha were friends and had been growing ever closer over the last few days.

Wordlessly, she slowly pulled her bow off, giving her ears a flicker as she gave a soft sigh of relief. Ruby let out a happy squeal at the sight and planted a quick kiss in between her Faunus ears, making Blake blush brightly.

"Feels good, huh?" Ruby chirped, gently running her hand through Blake's hair.

"Mmm," she murmured happily, leaning into the touch while her eyes drifted closed.

"Blake?" the redhead above her began hesitantly. "May I…? That is, er, if it's not too forward of me…"

Her eyes opened again, seeing how Pyrrha was watching the top of her head avidly.

"Sure, Pyrrha, go ahead."

Ruby giggled as she guided Pyrrha's hand over. "Here, she really likes it like this…"

And then the bases of both of her ears were being scratched, melting her into a gooey little puddle. Blake could tell that she was purring both involuntarily and loudly, but couldn't find it in herself to care overmuch as she curled up onto her side, head still in Ruby's lap, and gently stroked her girlfriend's thigh.

"Wow," she dimly heard Pyrrha murmur. "She… she really enjoys this, doesn't she?"

"Yep," Ruby whispered. "Though I don't think I've ever seen her enjoy it _this_ much… What do you say, Blakey? You havin' fun?"

"What do you think?" she retorted with a smile in between purrs.

And then there was a _click_ as the door began to open. She shot upright in a panic, her ears folded flat against her head. Fortunately, though, only Jaune, Nora, and Ren walked through, chatting idly.

She slowly lowered herself back down and into Ruby's lap. Fortunately, neither of them resumed their scritching, though Ruby laid a comforting hand on her cheek that she leaned into in gratitude.

"Hey, guys," Jaune chuckled. "Sorry to interrupt your movie night…"

"Oh, it's okay," Ruby smiled in return. "Just about over with, actually."

Blake looked over in surprise to note that the credits were indeed just now beginning to roll by.

_How long were they scratching my ears like that?_

But then her Faunus ears flattened again as a piercing squeal shattered the calm of the room.

"OH MY OUM YOUR EARS ARE SOOO CUTE!" Nora shrieked, jumping onto the edge of the bed and peering at the top of Blake's head.

In a flash, Pyrrha had extracted herself from behind Ruby and tackled her orange-haired teammate around the waist to haul her backwards. "Personal space, Nora," she chided with an apologetic glance back. "We've talked about this."

"But- But- But-"

"We should get going, let you guys get some sleep," Ruby said, pulling Blake up by the hand. She quickly tied the bow back on the top of her head, much to Nora's chagrin, while Ruby gave Pyrrha a warm hug goodnight.

"Thank you for the movie, Pyrrha," Blake said. "And for… the company."

Pyrrha smiled at her in acknowledgment of the underlying meaning of her words. "Thank you as well, Blake," she replied softly.

Blake and Ruby headed back into their room, hand in hand. They paused outside the door, and Ruby peered up at her, silver eyes warm and caring.

"So, that was kinda nice," the brunette whispered.

"Yes, it was," Blake murmured in return.

"Thanks for trusting her enough to… you know…"

Blake blinked her eyes uncertainly. It had certainly been an unprecedented level of trust she'd granted to Pyrrha, the only one outside of her team that she'd let even touch her Faunus traits there at Beacon. And even with Weiss and Yang it had only been a brief contact.

"You know," she mused. "It wasn't actually all that big of a deal."

"Good," Ruby chirped quietly. "'Cause that bodes well for the future."

Blake quirked an eyebrow curiously, but Ruby just gave her a mysterious smile and opened the door to their room, leading her inside.

As she lay in her bed, quiet snores filling the room, Blake pondered what exactly Ruby had meant with those words.

In the end, though, she trusted the girl more than anyone on Remnant.

And, after tonight, she supposed Pyrrha now made that rather exclusive list right after Ruby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr… Nope, still no regrets. Happy Blake is happy. And Ruby is scheming, but that should come as no surprise…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	11. Chapter 11

Pyrrha gave Ruby's hand a gentle squeeze as they strolled through the hallway of the dorm, Blake on her other side as had become the norm more often than not. They'd just returned from team practice, where the redhead had sat on the sidelines cheering on both Ruby and Blake.

They'd paired up for a change to take on Weiss and Yang, and even with the mismatch of partners, it had been a close bout. In any case, the weather outside was lovely, and she was happy to enjoy it while watching what had become two of her favorite people dish out the damage.

"...And Yang was all like, 'I'm gonna flank you,', and Blakey was all, 'oh no you don't', and then WHAM!" Ruby giggled excitedly, flinging her hands about even though they were still encased within those of her girlfriends. "I hit her right in her blind spot! She went flying _sooo_ far! And then Weiss was like, 'oh nooo' and Blakey was all dodgin' and ninja and WHAPOW!"

Pyrrha laughed at the small girl's excitable antics, sharing a fond glance with Blake. "Does she get like this after every team practice?"

"Usually," Blake replied with a small smirk. "Though I think she was a little more excited today to have a certain _somebody_ for an audience."

"Ruby Rose," the redhead exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. "Did you purposely show off just because I was there?"

"Mayyybeee…" her girlfriend grinned unrepentantly up at her. She let go of their hands to walk backwards in front of them. "You gotta admit, though, we were pretty awesome."

"Awesome indeed," Pyrrha chuckled. "I actually wouldn't mind sparring with you sometime, Blake. If you don't mind, that is."

"Certainly," Blake agreed with a small nod. "Just let me know."

Just then an orange-haired ball of pink and white blurred by, thrusting something that looked like a long tube into Ruby's hands.

"No take backs!" Nora shouted gleefully as she continued to race on by.

The three of them paused to peer after her.

"Pyrrha," the Faunus girl mused. "Sometimes I don't really get your teammate."

The redhead sighed affectionately. "I think only Ren truly gets her, Blake. Though I believe Ruby could give her competition for… Ruby?"

There was a smattering of rose petals where her girlfriend had just been standing, as well as the mysterious tube, seemingly now empty.

"She was just here," Blake muttered in exasperation.

Pyrrha crouched down and picked up the tube before standing once more. It was fairly slender, perhaps the width of a highlighter, and almost a foot in length. "What is this?"

Blake's eyes widened as she got a close look at the tube. "I believe… it is called a pixy stick. A rather large one, at that."

The redhead tipped it onto its side, allowing a few strangely colored crystals to fall out. Comprehension was beginning to dawn upon her, though she fervently wished that she was incorrect in her suspicions.

"And… what, exactly, was inside this pixy stick?"

"Pure sugar."

The two girls looked at each other in unmitigated horror before dashing forward along the trail of rose petals.

"Ruuuby!" Pyrrha called out anxiously as they raced along.

"Ruby, where did you get to?" Blake shouted.

They came to a stop at an intersection where it looked as if the rose petal trail crisscrossed several times.

"This could be bad," Pyrrha whispered.

Blake nodded solemnly. "Very, very bad."

Just then a sudden gust of wind tossed the pair of them off of their feet and tumbling to the ground. Several papers, empty plastic bottles, and even a few hapless students flew by in its wake.

Pyrrha staggered to her feet, helping Blake up as well. "We have got to stop her," she declared firmly. "Before she causes real damage without realizing it."

"I'm not in disagreement with you," Blake sighed. "But I have no idea how to-"

Another blast of wind in the opposite direction threw them to the floor once more, followed by more debris and students, some of them the same as before.

When the girls looked up from their prone positions, there were a pair of bouquets of hand-picked flowers by their heads.

"I'm… incredibly flattered," Pyrrha murmured. "And yet, more than a little scared."

"At least we know she's been outside," Blake commented, a wry smile on her face. She gave a small giggle. "I've never gotten flowers before."

"Truly?"

"Yes, truly."

"Oh. Well, I suppose I haven't, either."

They shared a rather goofy grin together.

"We have a pretty awesome girlfriend, don't we?" Blake chuckled ruefully.

"We do indeed," Pyrrha laughed. "Terrifying in times like this, but awesome nonetheless. Now, how do we stop her?"

"I suppose… Well, should we call for backup?"

"No, let us see if we can handle this on our own…"

"And avoid the embarrassment."

"Yes," Pyrrha agreed. "Precisely."

Blake gave a little shudder. "Yang would never let me hear the end of it… Alright, I have an idea, let's try this…"

A short while later, they were stationed at opposite corners of the intersection, peering down the hallways. It didn't take long for the red-tipped cyclone to appear once more, hurtling straight down towards them.

"Got her," Blake barked out, sending _Gambol Shroud_ out across the span and into the opposite wall. A split-second later, Ruby hit the ribbon with a _whoosh_ as the air was knocked out of her. Both Blake and Pyrrha ducked to avoid the hurtling debris and hapless students, but Pyrrha lunged forward to tap her finger against _Crescent Rose_ still strapped to their girlfriend's back. The diminutive girl was effectively pinned to the floor as Pyrrha activated her semblance.

"Hey guys didja like the flowers they were really pretty almost as pretty as you but not quite an' I always wanted to give you flowers but never had a reason to so I thought why not and I found them just lying there well not really lying I had to pick them but…"

Blake and Pyrrha shared a look of relief.

"How long do you think she'll be like this?" Pyrrha asked curiously.

Blake shrugged. "Not sure, I've never seen her so… Uh-oh."

Ruby's chatter had suddenly cut off, and both girls glanced back down.

 _Crescent Rose_ was lying there on the floor, with no sign on Ruby.

"Oh, Dust damn it all," Blake sighed in exasperation.

"Right," Pyrrha nodded firmly. "Plan B."

"There's a B?"

"Indeed. Right before C, which is when we fall on our knees and beg Yang for help."

"Okay, yeah, I'm all on board for B, then. Which is…?"

Eventually, Ruby was lured up to her dorm room by a trail of cookies, culminating in an entire box of her favorite store brand, kept on hand for what Blake called 'emergencies.'

 _And if this wasn't an emergency,_ Pyrrha thought to herself wearily, _I don't know what would be._

The two of them were leaning against the door from the hallway, effectively trapping Ruby inside. The bouncing around seemed to have died down somewhat, leading them to be hopeful that she'd finally reached the 'crash' stage of her sugar rush.

"What are the two of you doing?" Weiss demanded as she strode down the hallway towards them.

"Oh, hey Weiss," Blake said feebly. "Um… You don't want to go in there right now."

Pyrrha nodded rapidly. "Trust us."

The heiress crossed her arms and gave them a somewhat amused glare. "Would this happen to have anything to do with my dolt of a partner?"

"Yeeesss?" they drawled in unison.

"The same partner of mine currently running laps around the quad outside and leaving trails of cookie crumbs mixed in with rose petals?"

Pyrrha and Blake shared a worried look before leaping to their feet and tearing the door open. Sure enough, aside from a whirlwind of destruction the likes of which could only be attained by either Ruby or a rampaging Deathstalker, the only thing that greeted them was an open window.

"Oh, son of a Grimm," Blake sighed wearily.

"Did the two of you really give her an entire pack of cookies and _not_ expect her to go supersonic?" Weiss asked from behind them, a teasing lilt to her voice.

Pyrrha's head drooped as she looked down at the floor. "Plan C?"

"Plan C," Blake agreed somberly as she pulled her scroll out. "I swear to Oum, I will never hear the end of this from Yang…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special props to Jefardi for the idea for this that I got from Dilation. Too funny to pass up. Even as a sugar-high-induced-cyclone, Ruby's still looking out for her girls, though.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	12. Chapter 12

"Ow! Stop, please let go!"

The pitiful cries were like a call to action for stalwart heroes such as Ruby Rose. In a flash of rose petals, she soared across the cafeteria, zoning in on the damsel in distress, and riding to the rescue!

Her valiant charge came to a screeching halt in front of a small Fox Faunus that she'd seen around but never really gotten to learn her name… And none other than the resident bully and all-around big meanie.

Cardin Winchester.

 _Whelp, this isn't going to go the way I'd hoped,_ the petite brunette decided glumly.

Still, the pitiful-looking Faunus didn't deserve to have her tail pulled on… And Ruby was, after all, in training to be a huntress, protector of the people and paragon of virtue…

"Hey!" she shouted. _Oh, thanks for giving me the heads-up there, brain, I guess we're going through with this after all?_

 _Well, we_ are _here and everything,_ her brain replied dryly.

Cardin turned around, taking a moment before directing his gaze downwards.

"What do you want, pipsqueak?" he demanded, not relinquishing his grip on the Faunus' tail.

"I want you to let her go!" Ruby demanded. _Good, very nice and forceful. Keep it up._

"...You big meanie," she finished weakly.

Was it possible to facepalm internally?

Cardin let out a laugh, loud and rather mean-spirited, but he did, in fact, let go of the Faunus. She shot Ruby a grateful smile before scurrying off to find her team.

"Oh, really?" the large boy asked, looming over her menacingly. "And just what is a little freak like you gonna do about it?"

"Hooo boy," she sighed.

He looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"Yeah, you shouldn't have said that."

"Said what?" he snickered. "Freak?"

"Yep," Ruby replied, popping the end of the word. "That."

He opened his mouth to reply, but then his gaze shot up and over her shoulders. She felt the familiar presence of a pair of girls behind her, both of whom were likely doing their own version of looming thunderously.

"What…" Blake began, her voice low and deadly.

"...Did you call her?" Pyrrha finished, her own voice dripping with the promise of violence.

"A- A- A freak!" Cardin stammered, somewhat wide-eyed but still defiant. "That's what she is, a little freak!"

Sometimes, of course, the hero is in a position to call upon the assistance of other stalwart friends, noble crusaders of justice and champions of the weak.

As an added bonus, they were really super cute, too.

"Girls," Ruby said with an anticipatory grin. "Sic 'im."

Cardin let out a very unmanly yelp as he attempted to flee. Attempted, being the operative word.

"Nice use of semblance, Pyrrha," the brunette murmured appreciatively. "Trays make for nasty weapons… Ouch, and there goes Blake with the stranglehold, I think there's some pent-up aggression there…"

She clapped lightly as the trio went clattering to the ground where Pyrrha had him firmly pinned. The redhead glanced up with a smirk, allowing the Faunus the chance to do the honors.

"Ohhh, wow," Ruby winced. "That has _got_ to be the most painful-looking wedgie I've ever seen…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, before anyone says it, wreaking vengeance on Cardin is a most un-Pyrrha like thing to do. My advice is to just roll with it, because it's funny as hell. Well, to me anyways. At least she didn't break his legs…
> 
> I am super excited for the next three chapters. Like, bouncing in my seat excited, because I've been dying to write them and share them and I can't freaking wait! Wheeheehee….


	13. Chapter 13

Mornings were becoming a new favorite for Blake. The raven-haired girl had easily slipped into her new routine, one that gave her a certain satisfaction that the rest of the day would progress quite nicely.

After her usual morning necessities, she'd exit the bathroom to greet Weiss in a more coherent fashion, now that she was feeling more like a Faunus rather than a houseplant. Then, of course, came her favorite part. She'd stand up on her tiptoes and gently shake her girlfriend awake.

If there was anything more adorable than a sleepy Ruby when she first wakes up, she had no idea what it could possibly be.

Sometimes Ruby would peer at her blearily before grabbing her hand and trying to use it as a teddy bear. Sometimes she'd slip it under her head and smile softly. And then other times, like this morning, for instance, she'd just gaze back at her with a certain wonder in her silver eyes as if she wasn't quite sure if she were dreaming or not.

"Come on, sleepyhead," Blake said softly. "Rise and shine."

"Can't I lay here and just stare at you a bit longer?"

"No, you can't. Shower time."

"Awww… but Blakeyyy…"

"Do you want Weiss to wake you up?"

That was the point where Ruby usually quit her adorable attempts to cajole more bed time out of the Cat Faunus, but today she got a big smile on her face and held her arms out to her.

Blake just blinked her eyes uncertainly. "Um… What?"

"Carry me."

"... You're serious?"

"Yep!"

"Oh my Oum, Ruby," Weiss huffed irritably. "Will you please just get out of bed already?"

And then Ruby turned on the Secret Weapon. The one she rarely took out of her arsenal, a weapon so powerful it would reduce mere mortals to a quivering pile of submission.

The pout.

Her eyes got as wide as saucers, her lower lip trembled (and that was something Blake was trying _not_ to focus on this close, thank you very much), and then the finishing move, the coup de gras, the ultimate final attack…

"Please?"

Blake sighed, maintaining a neutral expression by sheer willpower alone though her defenses were otherwise completely in disarray by this point.

"Okay."

"Yay!" Ruby cheered quietly, wiggling out from under her covers. Blake scooped her up with one arm under her knees and the other around her waist, while Ruby wrapped her own small arms around her neck and burrowed her face into her shoulder.

The sensation of having her that close to her, feeling her warm breath on her skin, made her blush furiously. All she could do was stare down at the red-tipped hair that lay against her chest.

"Blake."

She glanced down at a smirking Weiss, who had an eyebrow raised. "Are you going to stand there with her in your arms all morning?" she asked humorously.

Blake blinked her eyes, realizing that she'd been standing there motionless for a couple of minutes now. "Oh. Yes, right."

She took several steps over towards the bathroom, halting in front of the door.

"Okay, Ruby, I'm putting you down now."

No response.

"Ruby?"

Finally, a soft snore came from the vicinity of her neck, causing her to sigh softly.

"Well, I could have told you that was going to happen," Weiss said levelly, though her smirk was still firmly in place.

Ever so carefully she set the small girl down on her feet. Ruby stood there, peering about blearily before she lurched back into Blake again, wrapping her arms around her waist in a tight hug.

"Ruby…" she sighed affectionately. "Go get a shower."

"Did you already get one?" she mumbled into her chest.

"Yes, I did."

"Pity." With that Ruby staggered into the bathroom, grabbing her stack of clothes for the day on her way in, and closed the door behind her.

Meanwhile, Blake was once again frozen in place, this time doing her best impression of a goldfish.

"Hey, you okay there kitten?" Yang called out curiously as she sat up in bed and stretched. "You look kinda flushed."

"Yeah," Blake. "Flushed. Just… yeah."

Only Ruby could reduce her to nonsensical incoherence like this.

_How does she even manage to do that? Does she actually realize what she's saying when she does that, is it all just an innocent act?_

She'd considered herself fairly world-experienced, having had not only a lover, granted one that had ended disastrously, as well as a few romantic relationships. But nothing had prepared her for what Ruby was capable of, a sweet and bubbly exterior that hid what might be a particularly devious side.

The brunette had managed to convince two girls to date her at the same time, for Oum's sake. That in and of itself was an impressive feat, and she was one of those that had been convinced!

"Oh," she murmured absently as she walked back over to her bed. "And don't call me kitten."

The next part of her new routine involved the first stop the group now made once they exited their room. Instead of proceeding directly towards the cafeteria for breakfast, Ruby would immediately march up to JNPR's door and knock quietly (just in case one of them was sleeping in).

As was usual now, Pyrrha opened the door immediately as if she were waiting behind it. Which, Blake thought with a small grin, she likely was.

"Good morning," the redhead greeted Ruby warmly.

"Heya, Pyrrha!" the brunette chirped, wrapping the much taller girl up in a hug. "How'd you sleep?"

"Well enough, you?"

"Eh, not long enough, but that's nothing new."

Yang and Weiss stepped forward a few paces to wait for them, but Blake closed the distance between the pair and herself.

"Good morning, Pyrrha," she said with a soft smile.

"And good morning to you, Blake," the redhead smiled back. "Ready to go?"

"You bet!" Ruby giggled, grabbing hold of both girls. "The rest of your team coming?"

"Not just yet," Pyrrha sighed. "There was an incident involving Nora and a hair dryer. Jaune and Ren are still… cleaning up."

"Ohhh," Ruby winced. "I'm guessin' it got ugly."

"Oh, yes," Pyrrha shuddered. "It would be best not to ask."

As they started down the hall, Pyrrha sent a tense-looking glance her way, which caused her to pause. There was obviously something else on the tall girl's mind, and it would seem that it involved Blake.

She quirked an eyebrow questioningly, which for some reason made the redhead blush slightly.

"Um, Ruby," Pyrrha began hesitantly. "Can I… speak with Blake for a moment? We'll catch up with you."

Ruby sent an inquisitive glance at Blake, who gave her a reassuring smile in return.

"Okay, then," Ruby said cheerfully. "Don't be too long!"

She gave another quick hug to each of them, not that Blake minded really as getting Ruby hugs were the highlights of her day, and then skipped ahead to join Yang and Weiss, chatting with them cheerfully about what might be on the breakfast menu, and whether or not cookies would count yet as said breakfast (which Weiss would likely shoot down immediately as she always did).

"Is there something wrong, Pyrrha?" she asked curiously. They walked slowly and side by side, though Pyrrha's hands were clasped in front of her, displaying her nervousness.

"Blake," she began in a whisper. "Do you know what day it is, three days from now?"

"Um… Friday?"

"No," Pyrrha sighed. "Well, yes, technically. But… it's Valentine's Day."

Blake stopped in her tracks, looking at her friend with an expression of abject dismay. "Oh my Oum… we are the worst girlfriends ever…"

"I was worried it was just me who forgot," Pyrrha admitted quietly.

Blake put her arm around the other girl as they began to walk again. "If I had known, I would have said something about it to you, just as you did with me. So, what should we do?"

"Has she mentioned it at all?"

"No, not a word. I'm guessing it's the same for her as it is for us, just not a holiday she normally pays attention to."

"Well… I had a thought."

"Do tell," Blake grinned.

Pyrrha unclasped her hands and slipped an arm around Blake's waist as well, giving her a friendly squeeze. "What if you and I got together and planned something for the three of us?"

"That… is brilliant. Shall we tell her?"

"I think so, yes, just so she doesn't try to plan anything herself."

"Right. Well, let's go give her the news."

Ruby was suitably appreciative if the high-pitched squeals of joy and crushing hugs were any indicator.

"You guys gonna hang out this afternoon then?" the bubbly teen asked, her excitement still causing her to bounce in her seat restlessly.

"I have nothing else to do," Pyrrha mentioned, turning to Blake.

"Neither do I," she replied. "Sounds like a plan, then."

"Well, while the two of you conspire, I'll just hang out with Yang or Weiss," Ruby declared cheerfully. "We haven't gotten to do that in awhile. Whaddya say, partner? You wanna go hit the town this afternoon?"

"Oh, I'm not sure," Weiss hemmed. "I have some studying to do…"

"You _always_ have studying to do," Ruby complained with a roll of her expressive eyes. "C'mon, I'll take you to the ice cream stand…"

Weiss' eyes lit up. For some reason, the heiress had never had ice cream while growing up, and the simple treat of a vanilla cone was like a decadent dessert for her. "I suppose I could postpone studying for a little bit," she conceded.

"Yang?"

"Sure, Rubes, I'm always up for _Weiss_ cream."

"Yang," the white-haired girl sighed. "I really will hurt you one of these days."

"Okay, it's settled!" Ruby cheered. "Operation Ply Weiss With Ice Cream is a go!"

"I'm being plied?" Weiss asked worriedly as they headed for their first class of the day. "That sounds painful."

Later that afternoon, Blake and Pyrrha agreed to meet in the courtyard outside the dorms to begin their planning. They walked together over towards a bench and sat facing one another, each clutching a piece of paper with their ideas they'd jotted down beforehand.

"Would you like to go first?" Pyrrha asked politely.

"Certainly," Blake replied. "This is in no particular order here… The first idea I had was a restaurant. Banal, but difficult to go wrong."

"Hmm, I suppose it would depend on the type of restaurant," Pyrrha mused. "Also, many of the nice ones will be booked already."

"Yes, I did think of that, but the kinds of food Ruby likes isn't necessarily on the 'nice' end of the spectrum."

"True enough," Pyrrha giggled. "I was thinking the same. Is she as fond of pancakes as Nora?"

"Pyrrha, _nobody_ is as fond of pancakes as Nora," Blake deadpanned. "But yes, she does like them. I just…" She sighed softly. "I wanted to do something romantic, you know?"

"I do, absolutely," Pyrrha nodded rapidly. "Er, what other ideas did you have down?"

"Well… a walk along the edge of Forever Falls forest to watch the sunset…"

"Oh, I like that one!"

"Thank you. I'll put a check by it, we'll come back to it later. Now… what about a boat ride?"

"Can we do that?" Pyrrha asked.

Blake shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure, but we could find out."

"Alright then, let's make that another possibility…"

After a few hours of discussion and tossing ideas back and forth, as well as a few calls placed (in which they discovered that yes, there were boat rides, but they were rather outside their budget), the two of them had a fairly short but comprehensive list.

"So, which of these should we do?" Blake asked, chewing on her bottom lip.

Pyrrha leaned over her shoulder to read what they had. "Well… as much as a field trip to Forever Falls sounds nice, we won't have time for much else really… What if we combined these two?"

"That... sounds plausible. Wait," Blake glanced behind her and into the emerald green eyes of her friend. "Do you want to do _all_ of the others here?"

Pyrrha shrugged. "Why not?" she grinned.

"Why not indeed…" Blake murmured, turning back to the sheet. "Alright, then. Let's do it."

"This," Pyrrha proclaimed softly, "will be grand!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm, what could the duo have in mind for Ruby? Stay tuned to find out tomorrow! So these three consecutive chapters are the ones I've been eagerly anticipating, revolving around Valentine's Day. They're gonna be a little longer than most of the others so far, especially the third (chapter 15). But worth it, I hope!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	14. Chapter 14

On the day before Valentine's Day, Blake was humming to herself contentedly as she readied herself for bed. She and Pyrrha had a plan of action now, one which should ensure an enjoyable day for all three of them.

_It's interesting how even mentally I've simply accepted us as being a threesome._

She wasn't sure when it happened, but soon enough after Blake and Pyrrha had regained their friendship she'd been unable to think of Ruby without the tall redhead being involved. And, curiouser yet, she found herself not really minding at all.

She paused in the brushing of her hair, a small grin on her face. _I actively look forward to seeing Pyrrha each day._

"Blaaakeeeyyy…"

The Faunus girl rolled her eyes, though she couldn't hide her amusement. "Yes, little rose?" she prompted. A glance over her shoulder confirmed that Ruby was on her bunk bed, head hanging over the side as she peered at where Blake stood at her dresser.

"So, no hints at all?"

"No, sorry. That would spoil the surprise."

"Is it a carnival?"

"No. And stop trying to guess."

"Okay… Oh! What about a horse ride?"

Blake turned to her girlfriend in confusion. "You want to ride a horse?"

"Well, I've never tried it before… So, yeah! Why not?"

She chuckled to herself softly and resumed her brushing. "No, it's not a horse ride. I'm not saying anything else about it."

"Ugh, fine," the brunette said with a dramatic sigh. After a moment, she spoke up once more.

"Hey."

Blake placed her brush down and strolled over to Ruby's bed where she was now rolled over and looking at her upside-down.

"You know," Ruby continued, "no matter what we do tomorrow is gonna be awesome, just 'cause the two of you will be with me. Right?"

"I know," Blake replied softly. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Ruby's cheek. "Get some sleep, we have a big day tomorrow after class."

"Okay, Blakey! 'Night!"

She'd just pulled her sheets back when a knock came at the door. Blake furrowed her brow as she stepped over. _Did Weiss or Yang forget their scroll?_

On the other side, however, was a very nervous-looking Pyrrha, also in her sleepwear.

"O- Oh, hello Blake!" she said with forced cheerfulness. "I was, er… I was wondering if I might have a word with you? Outside?"

Blake blinked her eyes. "Outside… in our pajamas?"

"Oh!" Pyrrha chuckled. "No, I mean… Well, perhaps up on the roof? It is a nice evening, and I just needed… Er, I wished to speak with you. In private. About something. Privately."

"Of course, Pyrrha," she replied with an encouraging smile.

"Wait!"

She stumbled backwards slightly as Ruby sped past her to collide with Pyrrha, wrapping her up into another tight hug. "One more bedtime hug!"

Pyrrha laughed and returned the embrace, though her face was blushing brightly, peaking Blake's curiosity further. Of course, she was the happy recipient of yet another hug from Ruby as well before they could take their leave.

Once up on the roof, Blake leaned back against the wall and looked out across the darkness, marveling at the stars she could see over the lights of Beacon.

_It really is quite nice up here. I should come more often at night._

The bow covering her ears, which she'd not yet taken off for the evening, twitched in tune with Pyrrha's pacing in front of her.

Blake sighed softly. _I suppose I should try and ease this out of her so that we might get some sleep tonight…_

"What's on your mind, Pyrrha?" she asked gently.

Pyrrha stopped her pacing and walked over towards Blake, dropping to the ground and leaning up against the same wall. Blake obligingly sank down as well, placing a comforting hand over hers that she had placed on the ground in between them.

"You know you can talk to me," Blake murmured.

"I know, I do, truly. This is just… somewhat embarrassing."

"Mmm," the Faunus replied. "Perhaps… it might be easiest to just dive right in, then? I won't judge."

"I know you wouldn't," the redhead whispered. "You… I trust you, Blake, more than anyone outside of Ruby or my team." She gave a little laugh. "In fact, I do believe I might even trust you over my own teammates, otherwise I wouldn't have come to you first."

"I'm… incredibly honored. And, if it helps… I feel the same way, really.

Pyrrha nodded and pulled her loose hair over her shoulder, running her free hand through it absentmindedly.

"I've been… thinking… about, er…" Pyrrha put her head back and closed her eyes. "I want to kiss Ruby."

"Oh."

"But… I've never kissed anyone before."

"I… see."

"And furthermore, our relationship muddies the waters somewhat," the redhead finally let out in a rush.

Blake looked at her uncertainly before understanding dawned upon her. "Ohhh… Alright, I can at least ease some of your concern here."

Pyrrha opened her eyes and peered at her, emerald eyes shining in the dim light. "You can?"

The Faunus gave her a firm nod. "Since you were the one to ask Ruby out first, I think it would only be appropriate for you to kiss her first. But…"

"But?"

"I'd like to be there… so that I could, um… kiss her next." She knew she was blushing brightly enough for even non-Faunus eyes to make out, but that didn't matter to her around Pyrrha.

Truthfully, it'd been on her mind for some time now, but she hadn't been sure how to broach the subject with either Pyrrha or Ruby. She was just glad her redheaded friend was able to come to her first. _I suppose she's always had more courage than me,_ she thought to herself ruefully.

"Well… Valentine's Day would be a wonderful opportunity," Pyrrha whispered.

"Indeed. How about… at the end of the evening?"

"Oh, yes, that would be perfect…"

There was clearly still something on Pyrrha's mind, however. Blake had become aware enough of her friend's nonverbals to tell when she was reluctant to proceed further in a conversation, but rather than back off and leave it alone, she decided this time she needed some more coaxing.

"So, what else is on your mind?" she prompted. "You know you won't be able to sleep if you don't talk about it."

Pyrrha smiled softly. "You do know me so well… I just…" Her face fell and she let out another sigh. "I'm somewhat… nervous."

"About kissing Ruby?"

The redhead nodded rapidly. "I know you've kissed before…"

"A bit more than kissed," the Faunus murmured under her breath. Evidently, she needed to work more on how to make things inaudible to humans, because it wasn't quiet enough to pass under Pyrrha's notice.

"Truly? I… had no idea."

Blake sighed as she gazed off into the distance. "Yes. His name was Adam. He was… in the White Fang with me."

"I see. You sound… pained, talking about him." Pyrrha turned her hand over where Blake's was still resting on it and clasped their fingers together, giving her a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to discuss it if you don't want to."

"I'd rather not go into the details… But he was my mentor, older and more, well, worldly than I. And I fell for his charms. When I left the White Fang, I left him, but the way I had to do it…" Blake let out a regretful sigh. "He wouldn't have let me leave. So I ran away."

"Did he… hurt you?"

"Not in so many words, no. Just little things that eventually broke my heart." She glanced over at Pyrrha with a smile. "Believe me, what we have together is worlds above and beyond anything he and I once had."

Pyrrha nodded as she chewed on her bottom lip hesitantly. "Do you… think you could, er… give me some pointers?"

"For what, precisely?" she asked amusedly, her eyebrow quirked.

"Oh, no, nothing like that!" Pyrrha quickly backpedaled, waving her free hand in front of her face hurriedly. "I just meant, er… kissing. Seeing as how I'm the only completely inexperienced one out of the three of us."

Blake giggled, having decided to let her off the hook easily enough, and gave her an affectionate bump with her shoulder. "Very well, let me see... "

She spent the next several minutes trying to explain the intricacies of kissing to someone who'd never experienced it before. A simple enough task in her own head, but for some reason still could not assuage Pyrrha's nervousness.

Finally, the redhead just shook her head in frustration. "It's alright, Blake, I appreciate the effort." She let out a despondent sigh as she gazed down at her lap. "I suppose I will just, er… 'wing' it."

Blake looked over at the redhead, the person that she shared her girlfriend with, and a rather absurd idea began to form in her head.

_This would be a bad idea._

_Or maybe not._

_Wouldn't it?_

"Pyrrha," she began hesitantly. "Do you want to… er…"

"Do I want to what, Blake?"

The Faunus girl screwed her eyes shut. _I cannot believe I'm about to suggest this._

"Would you like to practice?" she finally whispered.

"Oh…" Pyrrha breathed. "That is… I…"

"No, it's okay," Blake shook her head, not opening her eyes. "It was a silly idea, I just thought…"

"I would like to, yes."

She whipped her head around to gaze at the girl sitting next to her. Pyrrha's face was brightly flushed as she stared down at their interlocked fingers.

"O- Okay, then…"

She tentatively reached over with her other hand and gently cupped Pyrrha's cheek, turning her face towards her. The redhead's emerald eyes were dancing nervously around, taking in Blake's face as she inched closer. Then Pyrrha leaned in as well, eyes finally fluttering shut and…

Gods, her lips felt incredible.

Blake lost herself in the kiss, pouring more of her emotions into it than she'd intended to, but she could tell Pyrrha was doing the same. It wasn't too long before she'd crawled halfway into the taller girl's lap, releasing the other hand so that she could wrap an arm around her and pull her in close. The dance of their tongues together was electrifying, and Pyrrha had both of her own strong arms wrapped around her, holding her in against her body like she was molded to her.

Eventually, though, they had to pull apart for air.

The two girls stared at each other, panting, their swollen lips parted and eyes searching each other's. Finally, Pyrrha gave herself a small shake and blinked her eyes rapidly, moving back enough to break the spell.

"Well… that was… quite lovely…" the redhead murmured as she looked away, her cheeks bright.

"Um, y- yes, I- I agree," Blake stammered as she crawled off of her lap. _Oh my Oum what was I doing to her? That was supposed to just be a simple kiss, not a ravaging!_

"Yes, well... " Pyrrha got to her feet quickly. "I… That is… Thank you, Blake. I'll, um… see you tomorrow, then?"

"Right," Blake replied softly, her glowing amber eyes staring blankly out into the darkness. "Good night, Pyrrha."

"Good night, Blake."

The Cat Faunus girl sat up on the rooftop alone for some time, occasionally bringing up a hand to touch her lips in wonder.

_That was… amazing..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YESSSS THE FANSERVICE CRACK SHIP IS SETTING FULL SAIL WOOHOO!
> 
> Hah. Took me long enough to get to this point, eh? Anyone else thought that it would be Ruby getting the first kiss of the threesome? So, now that Pyrrha has plenty of, ahem, 'practice', we get to dive into the Valentine's Day activities next chapter! W00t!
> 
> Now, I've obviously made an assumption here that some may not agree with, the fact that while Pyrrha has never kissed, Ruby has. And no, I'm not delving into the specifics. Just pick your favorite Ruby ship that isn't Ladybug or Milk & Cereal (or Enabler, stop that), and let your imagination go wild for a few seconds. Go ahead, I'll wait for you.
> 
> We good? Excellent. So then, that's what happened. Now wipe that drool off your face. (Or maybe that's just me, then. Darn White Rose stories I keep obsessing over...)
> 
> Stay shiny!


	15. Chapter 15

There was nothing more daunting than trying to get Ruby on task during the day when she was eagerly anticipating the moment the final bell for the afternoon rang. Weiss looked to be close to either tearing her hair out or possibly fitting her partner for a straightjacket, but after the umpteenth time smacking the small brunette on the head with a pencil from where she sat behind her in class, she finally gave up.

"That's it," the heiress huffed, sitting back with her arms crossed. "She's _your_ problem now."

The ' _your'_ was directed to both Pyrrha and Blake who were ensconced on either side of their girlfriend. To be fair, they were doing an admirable job of keeping her in the chair and out of their laps, where the energetic teen desperately wanted to excitedly cuddle in anticipation of their Valentine's Day activities.

Not that she'd been told what they were yet. And that mystery was possibly making her even more of a handful than usual.

Blake sighed affectionately, glancing over Ruby's head and at the taller redhead on the other side. She felt her cheeks blush slightly, as they did every time she'd seen Pyrrha since the night prior, but it was made manageable by the return blush on her friend's face.

She still wasn't sure to make of what happened. But, she certainly wasn't going to run from it, and neither, it seemed, was Pyrrha.

_We'll figure out what's going on between the two of us later. Right now, this day is about Ruby._

_Well, Ruby and us._

"Shall we give her a hint?" she mouthed to the redhead.

Pyrrha inclined her head slightly, her emerald eyes twinkling as she yet again fended off Ruby's attempts to lean up against her and give her another excited hug.

The Faunus girl took her pencil and poked the eraser end of it into Ruby's side.

" _Psst_."

Wide silver eyes, full of mirth and unbound joy, turned to face her eagerly.

"Would you like a clue?" she murmured quietly.

Blake didn't think it was possible for Ruby to use her semblance in the simple act of nodding her head. Evidently, she now knew better, as she blew a few rose petals off of her nose where they'd landed.

"Well, all right then," she smirked. "It's actually four different activities."

Ruby brought her clasped hands to her mouth to stifle the ear-splitting squeal that likely would have threatened to shatter the windows of the classroom.

"And the first one…"

The brunette leaned forward, eyes wide and shining brightly.

"...is outdoors."

Ruby sat back once more, bouncing up and down in her seat as she mentally ran through all the different activities that could take place outside.

Blake glanced back to see Yang with her head down in her crossed arms on her desk, shoulders shaking in mirth at her sister's antics. Weiss just rolled her eyes, though she couldn't keep a smile from her face.

"I suppose she's like this around Yuletide as well?" the heiress murmured.

Yang nodded her head without raising it up. "Worse!" her muffled voice proclaimed.

When the late afternoon bell finally rang, Ruby was the first to spring out of her seat, grabbing hold of her girlfriends' arms to drag them off to their rooms. "C'mon, we gotta get changed!" the brunette whined at their languid pace.

"But Ruby," Pyrrha protested, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'm just _sooo_ tired, it's been a _looong_ day…"

"Maybe we could take a nap in those comfy library chairs beforehand," Blake mused, unable to keep the small smirk from her face.

Ruby stopped and turned to the two of them, her brows lowered dangerously. "I will pick you both up at the same time and unceremoniously carry you over my shoulders and to the rooms using my semblance," she threatened. "Don't think I won't!"

The redhead finally snickered softly. "Alright, little rose, we'll stop teasing you."

"For now," Blake amended, smiling at the nickname. Somewhere along the line both she and Pyrrha had adopted the use of 'little rose' for their girlfriend. Ruby hadn't objected, if anything her hugs were always tighter afterwards, so they assumed it was okay with her.

The three of them arrived at their rooms, Pyrrha giving Ruby a hug before turning towards JNPR's dorm. The redhead hesitated and then took a step towards Blake, smiling bashfully as she gave her a quick hug as well.

"See you soon," Pyrrha murmured before slipping into her room.

"Blakeeeyyy…" Ruby whispered.

"Hmm?"

"You're blushing."

"Am not."

"Are so. You're adorable."

Blake let out a small huff of indignation, refusing to answer as she hustled inside to change.

The three of them reconvened out in the hallway again, dressed fairly casually for the outdoors on the seasonably cool day. Pyrrha had on jeans that (in Blake's opinion) showed off her long legs rather admirably, as well as a long, soft red sweater with a wide turtleneck collar. Ruby was in her jeans as well and a long-sleeved back vee-neck shirt under her usual red cloak. Blake, meanwhile, wore a long black skirt with a snug dark purple sweater.

Hand in hand once more, the trio set off for the airbus to take them into Vale.

"Sooo…" Ruby drawled eagerly as they walked through the streets of the town. "You guys gonna tell me what the first stop is?"

"Hmm…" Blake mused. "I suppose I can tell you that it… is… in this direction."

Ruby rolled her eyes humorously. "You are such a dork."

Pyrrha giggled merrily. "She's got you there."

Shrugging unconcernedly, the Faunus girl just gave her girlfriend's hand a little squeeze. "Well, she's not wrong."

Finally, they arrived at the park downtown. There weren't many pedestrians out, the weather not quite having warmed up enough, but that was fine for the girls. They headed inside and strode down the path, heading straight towards…

"No. Way." Ruby looked between her two girlfriends excitedly. "Are you serious? We're really going on a merry-go-round?"

"That's the first stop, yes," Pyrrha smiled.

Ruby let out a soft squeal as she bounced on her toes. "Oh my Oum, you guys are the best! How did you know that I love these things?"

"Well," Blake grinned. "I might have overheard you talk to Yang about it once."

The brunette turned to her incredulously. "Really? When was this?"

"Um," the raven-haired Faunus blushed. "Maybe… perhaps… about four months ago?"

"And you remembered all this time?"

Blake nodded, unable to meet her girlfriend's eyes. "I might have been paying particular attention as to what made you happy… just, you know… in case, someday…"

"Like today?" Ruby smiled, slipping her arm around Blake's waist.

"Yes," she smiled back. "Like today."

Pyrrha leaned in and wrapped her arm around Ruby, coincidently brushing her hand up against Blake's side and sending a small involuntary tremor through her body. "If you couldn't tell," the redhead smiled. "This portion of the day was Blake's idea."

"Hey," Ruby said seriously as they moved through the short line waiting to board. "I really don't care too much who gets credit for things, you know? I'm just… I'm so happy that the both of you came up with stuff for today, and that we're doing it together. I'm really…" She sighed, her silver eyes shining with emotion. "I'm just really, really happy to be with you both."

"Same here," Blake murmured, bending down to kiss the top of Ruby's head. Pyrrha nodded and gave the petite girl a one-armed squeeze before separating in order to board the merry-go-round.

Ruby chose a black stallion to ride, while Pyrrha sat on a unicorn to the one side of her and Blake a lion on the other. The three of them gleefully laughed and cheered once they were off, enjoying the simplistic but entertaining time together.

After the ride, they headed out of the park and across the street to where a small novelty shop was set up. It catered mostly to tourists, which were few and far between around this time of year, so they had the place to themselves. In the back was a small photography booth with numerous and assorted props to wear, huge sunglasses and odd hats and wildly-colored feathered boas. The three giggling teens tried all of them on, taking numerous pictures that they received in long strips showing the three of them goofing off. Blake's absolute favorite was one with no props whatsoever but had Blake and Pyrrha cheek-to-cheek with Ruby's chin resting at the junction over their heads. She had to stand on the bench to do so, and the look of adoration on all of their faces was rather breathtaking.

While Ruby and Pyrrha laughingly set the props back to order, Blake slipped over to the proprietor and asked if she could have three larger copies of that picture done. He obliged, heading into the back to take care of it while the other two walked up.

"Whatcha doin', Blakey?" Ruby asked cheerfully.

"You'll see," she replied with a mysterious smirk.

Soon enough he returned with the three photos, which she paid for and then handed out.

"To commemorate the day," the Cat Faunus explained gently. She was taken aback as both Ruby and Pyrrha tackled her into a tight hug, but clung to the both of them in return, chuckling lightly.

"Okay!" Ruby chirped, brushing away a stray tear. "Where to next, girls?"

"Next is dinner!" Pyrrha proclaimed, carefully tucking her photo into her purse. "Just a short walk away, enough to work up an appetite."

Truthfully the fifteen-minute walk wasn't really all that strenuous for the trio of huntresses-in-training, but it was highly enjoyable nonetheless as they window-shopped along the way. Pyrrha paused to admire an evening gown in one window, blushing when both Ruby and Blake told her how beautiful she'd look in it, and Blake peered avidly into a bookstore window to see what the new arrivals for the week were. She resolved to return at some point that weekend to pick up a new offering from one of her favorite authors.

Ruby would alternate between skipping off to one side of the road or the other, and holding the hands of her girlfriends while walking in between. Sometimes she'd slip her arms around them and pull them in against her sides, happily relishing in their closeness.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination, a small cafe simply called 'Taste'. It had outdoor seating which was deserted but also a small indoor area with tables. The trio managed to secure a table inside but by the front window so that they might watch the foot traffic as it went by.

"So what should I get?" Ruby asked curiously, peering at the menu in front of her.

"Anything you want, dear," Pyrrha replied warmly. "Though we already have dessert picked out for you."

"Oh, really?"

"Mmhmm," Blake murmured. "It's the reason we came here. You'll see."

Blake and Pyrrha each enjoyed a nice salad, though the Faunus added salmon to hers, while Ruby settled on spaghetti and meatballs. The diminutive girl's eyes widened as she saw the size of the portion she was served.

"These meatballs are the size of my fist!" she whispered excitedly.

As the dinner progressed, the three of them talked idly about mostly nonsensical things, some of which was just to catch up with each other, while others were to get to know one another a little better.

"Favorite color," Blake murmured before taking another bite of her salad.

"Pfft, easy one," Ruby declared. "Red, of course."

Pyrrha nodded. "Red for me as well."

"Well, mine would actually be purple," Blake said.

"Really?" the brunette questioned. "Not black?"

"I like _wearing_ black," she replied evenly. "But my favorite is purple."

"Hmm, okay then, my turn…" Ruby looked between her girlfriends with a mischievous gleam in her eye and a smirk on her face. "Favorite sleeping position."

"Um," Blake blushed lightly. "On my side."

"Yes, same here," Pyrrha murmured, also with a slight flush to her cheeks.

"What a coincidence," Ruby replied, her grin widening. "Me too. I'd say that bodes well for the future, wouldn't you?"

Both of the other girls' blushes intensified as they were unable to meet any of the other's eyes, while Ruby just giggled merrily to herself and dug back into her spaghetti.

 _She's doing it again,_ Blake thought to herself ruefully. _Only this time, I know she's doing it on purpose, that adorably devious little girl..._

Once their plates were carted away, Pyrrha motioned for the waitress to bend down so that she might whisper the dessert order. Ruby tried to slyly lean in but was stopped by Blake's hand yanking her against her body.

"Don't you want cuddles, little rose?" she asked innocently.

Ruby stuck her tongue out. "Of course I do. I also wanted to eavesdrop."

Blake laughed and gave her a warm hug, releasing her when the waitress returned once more. She placed a plate in front of Ruby, containing a three-scoop ice cream sundae with chocolate fudge sauce and a cherry on top. But the crowning glory was the chocolate chip cookie bowl.

Ruby's eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked up at the grinning girls. "Best. Girlfriends. Ever," she breathed.

Both Blake and Pyrrha shared a laugh as they picked up a spoon, the waitress having supplied one for each of them. "I just want a little bit of the ice cream," Pyrrha admitted.

"Same for me," Blake added.

"Oh," Ruby said nonchalantly. "Are you sure you don't want my cherry, Blake?"

She'd just brought the spoon up to her mouth when Blake dropped it in shock, thankfully missing her sweater.

"No?" the brunette smirked. "What about you, Pyrrha?"

"Er…" The redhead was blushing furiously, and quickly stuffed her spoonful in her mouth so that she wouldn't have to respond.

"Ruby Rose," Blake intoned dangerously. "You are a _very_ bad girl."

The brunette shrugged unconcernedly. "Eh, having a sister like Yang, I pick up a few things."

"But… But…" Pyrrha sputtered once she'd swallowed her ice cream. "Ruby, I've never heard you… I mean…"

Ruby chuckled lightly as she finished her bite of dessert. "I've never _said_ that kinda stuff, but it doesn't mean I don't _think_ about it. I mean," she amended hastily. "It's really gross thinking about _other_ people, you know… And listening to Yang flirt, or thinking about her doing…" She let out a small shudder. "But now? I have two _gorgeous_ girlfriends."

"And you think about us… and…?" Blake trailed off uncertainly.

Ruby blushed brightly. "Well," she mumbled. "I mean, have you two looked at yourselves? You're both really, _really_ hot!"

Both Pyrrha and Blake blushed brilliantly enough to match as Pyrrha cleared her throat. "Yes, well… I suppose I would have to agree," she murmured weakly.

"You agree that you're hot?"

"Yes… I mean, no… Er…"

Ruby snickered softly. "I'm just teasing you, Pyrrha."

The redhead let out a small, miffed sigh, but couldn't keep the smile from her face as she watched Ruby dive right into the rest of her dessert.

Their last stop of the evening was back at Beacon. They made it up to the top of one of the smaller towers just in time to watch the beginning of the sunset. They stood together in front of a small stone outcropping, Ruby nestled in front of both Blake and Pyrrha as they wrapped their arms around one another.

"I need to tell you guys something," Ruby whispered somewhat hesitantly as the sun began to dip. "Um… I hope it's not the wrong time to do it, or that you don't appreciate it, or…"

"Ruby," Blake interrupted gently. "You can tell us anything, you know that."

"Absolutely," Pyrrha added, giving the other two a gentle squeeze.

"Well, okay…" The smaller girl took a deep breath. "I just... "

She slipped out of their embrace and turned to face them, her face open and earnest while her silver eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"I… I love you both. So, so very much… it's like, almost painful how it just kinda squeezes my heart when I think of the three of us… So, yeah, that's it. I love you. Both of you."

Blake and Pyrrha shared a glance, the redhead giving her a small incline of her head. Blake winked at her in reply.

"I love you too, Ruby," the Faunus murmured. "I've never felt a love like this before. You're my heart."

"And I love you as well," Pyrrha said with a warm smile. "Unconditionally and with every fiber of my being."

Ruby sniffled, smiling up at them joyously. "Really?" she whispered brokenly.

Her girlfriends gave her a happy nod.

"So…" Pyrrha began hesitantly. "Do you want to know what the last thing is that we have for you tonight?"

Ruby dashed away her happy tears and nodded rapidly. "Yes, please," she smiled.

Pyrrha cleared her throat nervously and reached out her hand to Ruby. The brunette took it, eyebrows furrowed in momentary confusion, and followed her back as she sat on the outcropping. The redhead completed the motion and pulled her into her lap.

They stared into each other's eyes, Pyrrha hesitantly biting on her lower lip for a second as Ruby's eyes suddenly lit up with understanding and excitement. Then they slowly leaned in together, pressing into a soft kiss.

Blake looked on affectionately. She had wondered what it would feel like to watch the two of them do this, but there was no jealousy or even discomfort. All she could feel was contentment.

_It's as if this was just so incredibly… right._

The Cat Faunus did what only felt natural to her, and sat down next to the pair against Ruby's back. She slipped an arm around the both of them as they continued to kiss, their jaws working languidly, and she leaned her forehead against Pyrrha's shoulder. A smile crossed her face at the same time as a purr began rumbling in her chest.

Eventually Ruby and Pyrrha broke apart, panting lightly. The brunette had a slightly stunned expression on her face, though it was split into a wide grin.

"So," Pyrrha breathed, glancing aside at Blake who had now sat up. "Your turn?"

Blake nodded slowly. "My turn."

She wrapped both of her arms around the smaller girl and shifted her backwards and into her lap, which made Ruby squeal softly in delight. Her legs remained stretched across Pyrrha's lap, who held them in place with one arm while the other slipped around Blake's waist.

The Faunus gazed lovingly into her girlfriend's silver eyes before leaning in and gently brushing her lips against Ruby's. The slight tease made the brunette moan softly, which she captured hungrily as she darted in the rest of the way. Ruby was ready for her and immediately parted her mouth enough to slip her eager tongue into Blake's mouth. She could taste the lingering sweetness of the dessert there, as well as a faint hint of what she now recognized to be Pyrrha's cherry chapstick.

And in short order, she felt herself melting into the kiss, dimly aware of Ruby's hand tangled into her hair while the other arm wrapped around her back. Pyrrha's hand gently rubbed up and down along Blake's spine, and the sensations of everything threatened to overload her into blissful incoherence.

The burning in her lungs forced her to finally pull apart. She giggled at the trail of saliva that ran between their mouths and quickly swiped it away with a brush of her hand.

"Wow," Ruby whispered, looking wide-eyed between the two of them. "Just… Wow."

Blake and Pyrrha shared a laugh, though Blake's was still fairly breathless.

The brunette leaned her head against Blake's shoulder and reached out to clasp her hand with Pyrrha's. Blake tentatively reached her own hand out and joined it with the other two as they sat there in the dark, just blissfully drinking in each other's presence.

"So, did you guys actually plan this?" Ruby finally murmured, staring at their interlocked hands with a soft smile.

"We did," Pyrrha replied warmly. "We even practiced-"

The redhead shut her mouth with an audible _click_.

Ruby bolted upright, staring at Pyrrha.

Blake shared a guilty look with the tall redhead, the two of them blushing brightly.

Ruby switched over to stare at Blake next.

"Um…" the Faunus girl began weakly.

The brunette leaped off of their laps, now gazing at the both of them with unrestrained intensity. "Did you two kiss?" she asked, her voice low and filled with an unidentifiable emotion.

"Er… yes?" Pyrrha sheepishly admitted with a wince.

_Oh, gods, is she going to be upset we kissed before we kissed her?_

Ruby turned to face Blake, evidently waiting for her confession as well. She sighed, looking down at the ground, and nodded glumly.

The small brunette stomped a foot. "And I wasn't there to see it?" she exclaimed.

Blake and Pyrrha shared another look, this one of confusion tinged with just a little bit of relief. They gazed back at Ruby, perplexed.

Ruby crossed her arms. "I want a reenactment!" she demanded.

"… Pardon?" Pyrrha asked.

"I wanna see the two of you kiss!" Ruby reiterated, bouncing on her toes with an eager grin now on her face.

"Now?" Blake asked hesitantly.

"Yes, now!"

"Well…" Pyrrha hemmed. "I suppose, it is Valentine's Day after all…"

"And we did already kiss once," Blake murmured, her eyes now riveted on Pyrrha's emerald orbs.

Without further ado, they slowly leaned in and sealed another kiss against each other's lips. This time, Blake could definitely taste the cherry of her lip balm, but there was also the hint of Ruby there now, of cookies and sweet ice cream.

She decided that she really, really liked the combination of the two. And, without a doubt, she truly did like kissing both of these girls.

_Ohhh… what am I doing, I should not be… Wait, why shouldn't I?_

That was her last coherent thought for awhile as they deepened the kiss, wrapping their arms around each other and pulling in close.

The kiss was broken as a shrill sound registered, that of Ruby squealing in delight.

"Eeeeeee!" The brunette threw herself forward and latched on to the two of them, who couldn't help but giggle against each other's lips.

"I am the luckiest girl in all of Remnant!" Ruby proclaimed, holding her girlfriends to her tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> o, yes, this was a little longer than usual… But we finally get a kiss with Pyrrha and Ruby! And Blake and Ruby! And… then Pyrrha and Blake again! Much Purruby love was had by all. The squees shall be plentifully abundant and without any regrets whatsoever.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	16. Chapter 16

Ruby liked to think of herself as a thoughtful girlfriend. Well, she hadn't really had the experience to attach that label to herself as of yet, since she was just now finally in her first real relationship (not to mention the fact that said relationship was with two girls at the same time, both of whom were incredibly cute and amazing and wonderful kissers as she'd found out last night, but she digressed). So she was now working on that 'thoughtful' label as it might apply to her.

And as her fantastically gorgeous girlfriends had been so sweet the previous day in setting up for a memorable Valentine's Day between the three of them, Ruby thought the least she could do was to make a pancake breakfast for them the next morning while they still slumbered.

Getting up was the easy part. Once in the kitchen, however, she was reminded of the fact that she really wasn't all that stellar of a cook.

Okay, truthfully, she couldn't cook one whit.

The last time she'd tried at home, there were issues. Issues involving a flour-coated dog, solidified chocolate sealing the oven door tightly, and a few firemen.

But she was nothing if not persistent. Ruby Rose was not one to shirk from a challenge, be it Grimm or cooking or ( _shudder_ ) research papers! Not even a Weiss who had been denied caffeine during finals week!

Well, the last might be stretching it a bit. But, still!

The diminutive brunette stood in the middle of the kitchen, glumly tossing her latest batch of pancakes into the trash. _Whelp, at least those tasted kinda like pancakes… so long as you don't mind the cardboard aftertaste… or the egg shells…_

_I am so doomed._

A thought flashed through her mind, instantly perking her up once more. This called for reinforcements! And not just any reinforcements…

This called for a _pancake expert_.

Frantically digging her scroll out of her pocket, first pausing to wipe the hardened batter off of its surface, she quickly dialed up one of her very best friends, her sugar-rush buddy, fellow height-challenged hellion…

"Nora!" she squealed when the bleary-looking orange-haired girl answered. "I need help!"

"Ruby," the other girl groaned. "Do you have any idea what time it is right now? 'Cause I don't. I can't even open my eyes wide enough to tell."

"Never mind that!" Ruby replied impatiently. "We have a situation here! This is… a pancake emergency!"

Nora's turquoise eyes shot open and a look of calm briefly settled across her features. "All of my lifelong training has prepared me for this moment. Ren!" Her sudden shout almost made Ruby drop her scroll. "Kitchen! Stat!" Nora turned back to face the camera on her scroll, and she gave an excited little giggle. "We'll be right there!"

Before long, the duo were striding into the common area kitchen, still clothed in their nightwear, though each of them had donned an apron ( _Aprons! Why didn't I think of that?)_. Ren's was a cheery pink, and it read 'Please Do Nothing To The Cook', while Nora's was white with little pink hammers decorating it. Hers read, 'I Definitely Want To Do Things To The Cook'.

"Alright, Ren!" Nora announced as she sidled up to Ruby. "Place the sloth assassins on standby in case we need backup!"

"You have sloth assassins?" Ruby asked curiously.

Nora smirked. "Why _wouldn't_ we have sloth assassins?"

"Point. Okay, so I want to make pancakes for Blake and Pyrrha. Chocolate chip ones. So far success has been minimal."

"Casualties?"

"Several cartons of eggs, my favorite pajamas, and most importantly, my pride."

"Nothing we can't do without!" Nora proclaimed. "Ren!"

"Yes, Nora," the raven-haired boy replied calmly, already assembling what he needed to create the pancakes.

"You know what to do!"

"Yes, actually, I do."

"Maximum effort!"

"Yes, Nora," Ren sighed again good-naturedly.

"Alright then! Ruby, my friend, watch and learn!"

The two petite girls stood side by side, avidly observing Ren as he expertly mixed the batter up. Ruby didn't say a word until Ren went to pour in the chocolate chips.

"More chocolate chips, please!"

Ren glanced over at her and cautiously tipped the industrial-sized bag to add perhaps another quarter-cupful.

"Nope! More!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yep!"

Ren sighed and shook his head. He dutifully tipped the bag over while Ruby clapped excitedly, stopping only when he received approval.

"You're making enough for you guys to join us, right?"

"I believe I shall pass," Ren replied, carefully keeping the wince off of his face. "Nora most likely would participate, however."

"You bet! Never pass up on an opportunity for pancakes!"

Ruby and Nora stepped back while Ren prepped the pan, the brunette pulling her scroll out once more. She called first Blake and then Pyrrha, announcing that breakfast would soon be ready in the common eating area of the first-year dorm.

"So, Ruby," her orange-haired friend began with a sly look on her face. "I heard last night was nice."

"Yeah, it was…" Ruby murmured, a goofy grin on her face.

"Really nice?"

"Really, really nice."

"So who's the better kisser, Pyrrha or Blake?"

Ruby furrowed her brow. "I can't really answer that, Nora. They're both awesome, and adorable, and kissing them was... " She sighed blissfully. "It was like… like going for a whole month only eating bread and water, and then finally getting a whopping huge plate of warm cookies and a whole jug of milk put in front of you."

"Wow," Nora breathed, wide-eyed. "That's _sooo_ romantic!"

"I know, right? And then, watching the two of them kiss-"

"Whoa!" Nora exclaimed, grabbing Ruby by the shoulders. "Hold up! Stop the schoolbus! Pyrrha and Blake _kissed_?"

Ruby snickered softly. "I kinda figured Pyrrha would gloss over that bit…"

Nora grinned, a rather maniacal gleam in her eyes. "Was that the first time they kissed?"

"Nope," she giggled. "They'd, er, 'practiced' the night before. I made them reenact it for me."

"Damn," Nora giggled back, dropping her hands and turning to face the imperturbable Ren who was several pancakes in by now. "Ren, anyone you wanna kiss so's I can watch you?"

"No, Nora."

"Aww. I thought you loved me?"

"I do, Nora. But I'm not kissing anyone."

"Well, nuts." She turned to Ruby again with another grin. "Hey, can I watch you guys make out?"

Ruby tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I dunno, Nora. Blake's kinda private about that, I think, and Pyrrha might be even worse…"

"Yeah, that's true… I'm surprised you managed to even convince Pyrrha to do this three-way thing with you in the first place."

"Well… I _am_ pretty persuasive."

"True, that. Short sister power!"

They shared a quick fist bump just as Blake walked in, followed by a sleepy Pyrrha. Both were still in their nightclothes.

"Ruby?" the Cat Faunus asked, peering around at the mess. "Er… I didn't know you cooked?"

"About that," Ruby laughed self-consciously. "I kinda… can't. Tried, but no. So I called in for expert help!"

"Good morning Ren, Nora," Pyrrha chuckled as she took a seat next to Blake at the small table there. "Thank you for helping Ruby out."

"Certainly," Ren replied smoothly as he loaded up a couple of plates. "Always willing to help out my friends."

"I was promised pancakes!" Nora declared excitedly.

"And I have a plate for you here, Nora. Be patient and let them have the first taste."

Ren tried to flash a warning towards the pair of seated girls with his eyes, but both of them were far too sleepy still to interpret said look correctly. He set a plate in front of each, three pancakes apiece with a large dollop of butter melting on top.

"Wait!" Ruby cried out. "Don't eat yet!"

She dashed around the table, leaning over Blake first. "Good morning," she grinned, giving the raven-haired girl a quick but passionate kiss. She whirled around to Pyrrha next, giving her another greeting before placing an identical kiss on her lips.

"Okay!" Ruby cheered, taking a seat across from them. "Now you can eat!"

Nora took her seat next to Ruby, the diminutive girls peering at the other pair anxiously.

Both Blake and Pyrrha took a bite after sharing the syrup and chewed thoughtfully.

"They are quite wonderful," Pyrrha assured them. "Thank you so very much."

"Yes, thank you all, they're delicious," Blake added.

"Yay!" both petite girls cheered simultaneously. They stood up from their chairs and returned to Ren's side to fetch their own plates.

While Ruby was loudly thanking both Ren and Nora for their rescue of her morning, Pyrrha leaned over towards Blake.

"I fear I shall get diabetes before I finish my plate."

Blake snickered softly. "Just eat slowly. Ruby will finish first and then ask to finish ours."

With a giggle, Pyrrha turned her head and gave Blake a kiss on the cheek, causing Blake to blush brightly.

"Oh my Oum, you were right!" Nora squealed. "They are too adorable!"

"I know, right?" Ruby squealed in an identical pitch. "Am I the luckiest girl in all of Remnant, or what?"

"You are! You totally are!"

Blake and Pyrrha shared a light chuckle as they attempted to eat more of the heavily-chocolated pancakes.

"She's not the only lucky one," Blake murmured.

Pyrrha nodded happily. "I wholeheartedly agree."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I worry that I write Nora as too over-the-top, even more so than RT make her out to be. I think I struck the right balance here and hopefully had some fun with her friendship with Ruby. Personally, I think Nora would be a huge Deadpool fan.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	17. Chapter 17

Yang and Weiss followed in the wake of the three girls ahead of them who'd been seemingly joined at the hip for the past few weeks. Ruby was, as usual, skipping along excitedly, hanging onto the hands of Blake and Pyrrha to either side of her.

"So it would seem their Valentine's Day activities went well?" the heiress murmured subtly, aware of her Faunus roommate's exceptional hearing.

"Seems that way," Yang answered nonchalantly, as usual making little effort to keep her voice down appreciatively. "Leastways, Rubes has been bouncin' off the walls all weekend."

"Have you even seen her over the weekend? The three of them have been rather… scarce."

"Only at meals and bedtime. I 'spect same for you?"

"Mmhmm," Weiss replied quietly. "I think the three of them even did a study session together yesterday."

Yang let out an amused snort. "Yeah, that's likely Blake and Pyrrha's influence. At least we know her grades won't slack off any."

They strolled for a few moments more before Weiss spoke up again. "How are you feeling about all of this?"

Yang turned halfway to face her, hand raised to her ample bosom in feigned shock. "Why, Princess, are you showin' care for my well-being?"

"Oh, hush, you big oaf," she grumbled back irritably. "I just… Does it bother you, your sister spending all of her time with the other two now?"

"Nah," Yang shrugged unconcernedly and with an easy grin. "For starters, I trust my partner, I know she's only gonna have her best interests at heart. I think I can trust Pyrrha with that too, y'know?"

Weiss nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose I can see that…"

"And, really Weissy, have you even seen the three of them together? Have you _ever_ seen any of them be that happy by themselves before they started dating?"

The white-haired girl glanced askance at the taller blonde. "You keep this up, and I'll start to believe there's actually a functioning brain in that bimbo head of yours."

"Ohhh, nice burn there, Princess! Gimme an ice shot, heal my wound for me…"

"Oh, do shut up."

They'd gotten close to their destination by this point where Team RWBY had a shared class, though Pyrrha was in the next classroom over with her own team. Yang paused within sight of the door and turned to Weiss, an unusually solemn look on her face.

"What about you? Not feelin' left out, are ya, with your partner bein' gone so much?"

Weiss frowned but gave the notion serious contemplation. "I… don't believe so, no. I would like to spend more time with her, but I understand she has other priorities now."

"Weiss."

The heiress looked up into lilac eyes that were boring into hers, full of warm compassion.

"I know my sister," the blonde stated gently. "If you wanna spend time with her, let her know. She'll make the time. But she's not gonna think anything's wrong if you don't speak up."

She offered Yang a small smile. "Very well. I will do so." She held her fist up to her mouth and cleared her throat gently. "Er… thank you."

"Anytime, Princess."

They turned to resume walking towards their classroom where Ruby was standing up on her tiptoes, giving Pyrrha a warm kiss goodbye.

"Now _that's_ an odd thing to see," Yang mused. "Suppose it was bound to happen eventually, huh?"

"Well, yes," Weiss replied. "It would seem that-"

The two of them froze in their tracks as Pyrrha, having finished kissing Ruby, now faced Blake. The Cat Faunus, only a few inches shorter than the redhead, shyly leaned up and gave her a quick peck on the lips as well, the both of them blushing furiously. Then a giggling Ruby pulled Blake into the classroom while Pyrrha headed off.

"C'mon, you guys!" the brunette called out over her shoulder to her other two teammates. "You're gonna miss the bell!"

Yang turned towards Weiss, a dumbfounded look on her face. "Since when has _that_ been a thing?"

"You're asking me?" Weiss huffed. "I can't keep up with the three of them at all anymore."

They continued to walk in together, sitting down next to Blake and Ruby well before the professor had set up for his lecture.

"So, Weissy," Yang murmured under her breath. "You gotten the nerve up yet to ask out that certain someone?"

Weiss rolled her eyes irritably. "I don't know why I even told you about that. But, to answer your question… no. Not yet. And before you ask again, no I will not tell you who it is."

"Hmm." Yang leaned back with her hands behind her head. "You want any help or advice?"

"From you? No."

The blonde chuckled ruefully. "Actually, I was gonna recommend my sister over me. I think I've been surpassed."

Weiss lifted a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle, which made Yang grin widely.

"Seriously!" she continued. "The student has become the teacher!"

The heiress sighed thoughtfully. "What has this world come to?"

"You got me, Princess," Yang replied with a shake of her head, sitting upright as the professor entered the classroom. "You got me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Itty-bitty little update. Just thought it'd be fun to check in with the other members of Ruby's team and see what they're thinking of the whole thing. And yes, there was a small hint there of a side thing with Weiss. It'll come out eventually. No, it doesn't count as a plot. This is a plot-free zone, I tell you!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	18. Chapter 18

Blake finished up brushing her hair out for the night and placed her hairbrush on the top of her dresser. It was fairly late, Weiss already having turned in, but her Faunus eyes easily made out the details of the darkened bedroom.

Including one small but cute brunette who was still sprawled out in the middle of the floor.

Pyrrha had just left a short while ago after they'd finished up watching a movie. Weiss had joined them, and though the heiress wasn't one to often display her feelings they could all tell she'd been pleased to have been invited. So as not to make her overly uncomfortable, they'd kept the affection to a minimum, merely cuddling together in their pajamas on Blake's bed while the movie played out on the opposite wall, projected from Ruby's scroll.

And even though Ruby was ready enough for bed, she wasn't making any move to get into it.

Grinning, the Cat Faunus crept over towards Ruby's head, slowly leaning down to capture a sneaky kiss. When her lips sealed over her girlfriend's, it muffled the startled squeal that issued from her mouth, though it devolved into a pleased moan soon enough.

"Mmm," Blake sighed as she leaned back again. "Gotcha, little rose."

Ruby giggled softly. "You can get me anytime you want, kitty cat."

She smiled softly, liking the nickname that Ruby had started using for her. Unlike when Yang teasingly called her 'kitten', when Ruby said those words it filled her with a warmth that was undeniable.

A little thought in the back of her head wondered if Pyrrha might ever call her that, but it was quickly pushed aside.

"You need to get into your bed," she murmured.

The brunette pouted slightly. "I'm tired. Don't feel like climbing."

Blake sighed and shook her head. "You can't spend the night on the floor."

"Wellllll…." Ruby smiled up at her disarmingly, able to find her face in the dim light of the room. "I could maybe… share your bed?"

Blake's mouth got very dry and her heart gave a little stutter. "O- Okay," she stammered. Gaining her equilibrium, she leaned down and gave Ruby another kiss, this one brief. "You just want snuggles," she whispered.

"Yep!" Ruby cheerfully whispered back.

The raven-haired girl helped Ruby to her feet and then over towards her bed, where she pulled the sheets back and climbed in first. Blake laid on her side facing into the room, and Ruby quickly settled in on her side as well, her back flush up against Blake's front.

Blake draped an arm across her girlfriend's waist after pulling the covers back up, while Ruby placed her own arm along Blake's, stroking along it softly.

_Okay, play it cool Belladonna, this is just cuddling… in bed… and under the covers… just like you've dreamed of all these months… Just don't start thinking of the other things you dream about… Oh, Dust damn it all…_

She was glad that Ruby at the least was facing away from her so that she wouldn't be able to see her blush.

Ruby let out a soft sigh even as she continued to run her hand along Blake's arm. "I wish Pyrrha could be here too…" she breathed almost inaudibly.

In the span of a couple heartbeats, Blake had a few thoughts run through her head. Even a couple of weeks ago, when they were first trying out this relationship of theirs, she might have been tempted to keep Ruby for herself the first time in her bed like this. But, aside from the fact that she kept placing Ruby's needs before her own, she truly did not mind Pyrrha's presence. In fact, she looked forward to the time that the redhead spent with her and Ruby.

 _We really are a threesome now,_ she realized. _And… I wish she could be here as well._

And with that, her course of action wasn't even in question.

She slipped her arm out from under Ruby's grasp and reached up for her scroll. Squinting one eye shut, she opened it and tapped out a quick message to Pyrrha.

_Are you awake?_

The affirmative reply came quickly. She tapped another message back, that she and Ruby requested her presence. She advised the redhead that the door was unlocked as Yang had not yet returned, but to be careful not to wake Weiss.

As she leaned forward to place her scroll back on the desk next to the bed, Ruby gave her a few quick kisses across the edge of her jawline. "I love you," the brunette murmured.

Blake settled back and gave her a kiss of her own on her cheek. "I love you too."

Then the door eased open, a tall figure slipping in noiselessly before it closed once more. Blake watched as Pyrrha cautiously edged into the room towards their side, her arms outstretched.

Blake leaned up and took hold of one of the hands, causing Pyrrha to jump slightly. "Duck your head down," she murmured.

Pyrrha nodded and complied, easing her way onto the bed. After some adjustment, she was settled in against Blake's back and along the wall.

"Thank you," the redhead whispered. "Er, for inviting me."

Blake smiled. "It wouldn't have been the same without you," she replied truthfully.

Ruby squirmed around, leaning over Blake so that she could give Pyrrha a long kiss. "Good night, Pyrrha," she murmured. "Love you."

"Good night, little rose. I love you too."

Ruby laid back down, capturing Blake's lips one more time in a wordless kiss before she snuggled back in against her. Pyrrha tentatively laid her arm across both Blake and Ruby's hips, and Blake ran her hand along her arm before returning it back to where it was before around Ruby's middle.

The Faunus girl felt a warm breath against her cheek as Pyrrha snuck in a kiss. "Good night, Blake," she whispered.

The raven-haired girl turned her head, gazing back into the emerald eyes that shone in the dim light. "Good night, Pyrrha," she murmured.

They stared at each other for almost a full minute until they finally gave each other a soft kiss, long and sweet, before breaking apart with a quick though sheepish grin.

Blake settled her head back down, breathing in the scents of Ruby's strawberry conditioner as a slow smile spread across her face.

_Now this… I could get used to._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> D'awww… Well, you knew something like this was gonna happen sooner or later.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	19. Chapter 19

Yang quietly crept into her dorm room, long experience at not waking her roommates up lending to her stealthy abilities. Still, since there were often guests over, she took a moment while standing at the door to allow her eyes to adjust so that she might not step on anything or anyone.

Satisfied that all was as it should be, she pulled her pajamas out from her dresser and entered the bathroom, waiting for the door to close before she switched on the light.

So far, so good. The blonde brawler was usually the last one to bed, but every so often she'd roam the campus, either partying out late or just working off excess energy and restlessness. Tonight was the latter, but rather than work out as was typical she instead just took a nice, long walk.

It was a good opportunity for her to clear her head about a few things.

While she was outwardly supportive of her little sister's relationship with both her partner and the tall redhead who lived across the hallway, a small part of her had trouble letting go of the picture in her mind of the baby sis that needed held to help chase away the night terrors. The little girl who she'd basically raised ever since Summer had passed away.

And though it took almost the entire evening to walk this off, she'd finally managed to come to an acceptance of the fact that Ruby was truly not a little girl anymore. Age wasn't really relevant for her, being part of a prestigious Academy and in training to be a huntress, not to mention the leader of her own team, had lent a maturity to her beyond her years. And yes, while she could come off as immature at times, that was just her personality and would likely last well into her adult years.

No, if anything her actions with this burgeoning relationship cemented the fact in Yang's mind that her little sister had really grown up. And, when it came down to it, all she could do now as her big sister was to be there for her and support her wholeheartedly, no matter what she ended up doing.

Yang left her clothes in a pile in the corner of the bathroom, resolving to pick them up the next morning. She was in her sleepwear now, her luxurious hair brushed out and the rest of her nightly routine complete. The blonde turned the light off, pausing for a full minute to let her eyes adjust again before she silently opened the door to the bedroom once more.

As she crept across the floor towards her bunk, cognizant as always of her partner's propensity to wake up at the slightest noise, her ears perked up at a subtle rumbling. Pausing, she began to grin as she realized the source.

 _Blakey's purring,_ she laughed to herself silently. _Must be havin' a good dream, wonder if it's about Rubes?_

Her eyes glanced over towards her sister's bunk, only to immediately realize it was empty.

_Huh._

Quickly picking up on the implications, her gaze next swiveled over to the bunk under her's where her partner slept. Sure enough, the lumps under the covers were far too large for just one Faunus girl.

And then she looked a little closer and made out not just two, but three figures.

_Well, how about that…_

Ruby was facing her, mouth parted slightly as she snored so softly it wasn't really audible over Blake's purring. Yang's partner was behind her with her arm tucked around Ruby, raven hair spilling out on the pillow behind her. But then behind Blake was Pyrrha, long red hair intermixed with the black and her arm tucked around the both of the others.

Yang didn't want to feel like a creep or anything, but she really had to stop and gaze at the three as she squatted down by the bed on her haunches. All of them looked so incredibly peaceful, so very content, that it caused a bright smile to grow on her face.

But more than that, they seemed to fit together perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle.

Blake was about four inches shorter than Pyrrha, and Ruby another four inches shorter than Blake. The height differences made for such a perfect alignment of their bodies as they curled up together that it seemed almost like providence. Destiny, if you will, that brought them together.

Yang chuckled to herself quietly as she stood and carefully pulled herself up and into her bed. _Must be tired if I'm gettin' all philosophical and the like. Still,_ she sighed inwardly. _There's just no denying it._

_Ruby's definitely grown up._

Ultimately, though, that didn't really matter to her. She might still give her little sister a hard time about stuff, or tease her as was her wont, but in the end, she knew her job as a big sister was to look out for Ruby. Even if it meant getting out of her way sometimes and letting her live her life.

And finding the loves of her life.

Yang knew, or at least she was pretty damn sure, that's what this was. She was fairly certain they knew it as well, even if they wouldn't admit it to themselves or to each other, but the three of them, yes even between Pyrrha and her partner, were in this for the long haul.

 _Oh, man,_ she chuckled to herself as she faded into a restful sleep. _Dad's gonna have a field day with this… Sure am glad I'm not gonna be the one to tell 'im…_

She may be Ruby's big sister, but some things the brunette was on her own for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it came to me after I'd already decided on this OT3 that their height differences were perfectly spaced apart. According to the wiki, Pyrrha is 6'0" with heels. Figuring on 2" heels, that makes her an assumed 5'10". Blake is 5'6" (without the ears), and Ruby is 5'2". A perfect fit for a three-way spoon.
> 
> Little more introspection here from Yang, but I just wanted to address the aspect of the big sister that had raised Ruby from when she was a little girl. I've written Yang in other stories as having struggled with this aspect more, and I've certainly read some stories where it becomes a major problem, but I think in this case Yang would be somewhat impressed with how Ruby's been handling this relationship, and if nothing else in her eyes it makes her realize that she'd no longer a little girl.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	20. Chapter 20

Blake spun about the Ursa, using _Gambol Shroud_ as a tether. She fired the end of it, kicking off of the dying Grimm as she did so to land gracefully in a crouch.

Or at least, she would have were it not for the massive paw of the Alpha Ursa that intercepted her flight and sent her sprawling.

The raven-haired girl scrabbled backwards, still somewhat stunned by the impact even though her aura had absorbed most of the damage, while the giant Ursa advanced menacingly. But then a glittering figure in red and gold was crouched in front of her, shield raised protectively and lance extended.

"Are you alright, Blake?" Pyrrha asked worriedly, eyes fixated on the approaching beast.

"Just… catching… my breath…" Blake panted, struggling to sit up.

She froze, startled, as an unusual noise issued from the Alpha Grimm.

"Did it just… laugh at us?" Pyrrha breathed.

"Um… yes," Blake replied. "Yes, it did."

The beast quickly changed its attitude as a blur of red shot by overhead, whirling about its body like a deadly bladed tornado. Ruby skidded to a stop next to the two girls as the Alpha Ursa collapsed, embedding her scythe in the ground to slow her momentum.

"Ladies," the brunette smirked.

"Little rose," the other pair returned in unison, identical smirks on their faces as Pyrrha put her weapons away and helped Blake to her feet.

"Fancy meeting a pair of damsels in distress out here," Ruby continued, shouldering _Crescent Rose_ with a flourish.

"We were not in distress!" Pyrrha protested.

Blake gave the smaller girl a level look. "And we are most certainly _not_ damsels."

"Oh. Well… You girls come here often?"

Blake and Pyrrha shared an incredulous look and a giggle. "Ruby, were those pickup lines?" the redhead chuckled.

Ruby hung her head and sighed. "Yeah, well… they sounded better in my head."

Blake stepped forward, tipping Ruby's head up with a finger and giving her a sweet kiss. "Well, it was a nice try, anyway."

Pyrrha slipped an arm around Blake as she walked up, giving Ruby a kiss of her own. "It was… adorable."

Ruby grinned, flicking her hand out to the side to return her scythe to its compact form and holstering it behind her. "Sooo… 'A' for effort?"

"Yes, but a 'C' for execution," Blake laughed.

"Hey, 'C' is passing!" Ruby exclaimed with a wide smile. "So, what does that give us, anyway?"

Pyrrha dutifully pulled her card out. "Allow me to check off the group of five Ursa… Though, honestly, an Alpha should count extra… Oh, if we find another Boarbatusk, we shall have a row!"

"Yay!" the brunette cheered. "Let's head back into the woods and-"

A loud roar sounded nearby which was abruptly cut off, followed by exultant cheering. "BINGO!" they heard Nora shout.

"Aww _maaannn_ ," Ruby groaned. "And we were so close!"

The combined teams of RWBY and JNPR were assigned to this quadrant to clear out any residual Grimm. The numbers here had been rather more than expected and of a wide variety, leading Nora to pull out a set of placards that she had been dying to try out. They had split into three teams, with Blake, Pyrrha, and Ruby on one, Nora and Ren on another, and the remaining three on the third.

Nora assured them their team would not be at a significant disadvantage due to their 'secret weapon'.

"Well," Pyrrha sighed as the three of them joined hands, Ruby in the middle, and headed over towards where they'd heard Nora shout. "I suppose we could pick up new cards and start over?"

"Yeah, we could," the brunette said glumly. "Don't know how we can keep up with Nora and Ren, though. It's those sloth assassins of theirs, y'know."

"Ruby, I don't believe I've ever seen a sloth assassin," Blake replied humorously.

Her girlfriend nodded solemnly. "I know, you never do. That's just how good they are."

Blake opened her mouth, but then glanced into the trees overhead worriedly.

"If you say so…" she murmured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are the odd things that filter through my brain as I lay in bed at 4am, desperately trying to go back to sleep but then giving up as the idea was simply too much fun not to write down before I forget it. Sigh. I guess I'll sleep when I am dead. (Cue Set It Off music.)
> 
> And I totally think Grimm Bingo should be a thing in the regular series. Anyone knows Miles or Kerry, get them on that for me, k? Thanks.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	21. Chapter 21

"She let out a whimper as she crept backwards," Nora intoned, a flashlight raised under her chin to illuminate her in the darkness. "What could this creature possibly be? What fate was in store for the little girl? Why oh why did she ever leave her nice, warm home on that dark and stormy night?"

Ruby let out a whimper of her own as she pulled tighter on the ends of her cloak, subsequently pulling both Blake and Pyrrha closer in towards her where they sat on the log around the campfire along with the rest of teams RWBY and JNPR.

"Slowly the creature approached, ever so slowly it pulled back its hood to reveal the awful truth…" Nora's deadly whisper suddenly escalated into a vicious shout. "IT WAS WEARING HER FACE!"

" _Eep_!" Ruby wailed, burying her head in her hood.

"It's all right, little rose," Pyrrha chuckled, tightening her arm around the petite girl. "Story's over now."

"That was indeed a good one, Nora," Blake congratulated her.

"Thanks, Blake!" the orange-haired girl chirped.

"Whelp, time for bed, you guys," Yang sighed, kicking some dirt on the fire. "We gotta head back to Beacon in the morning."

As hunters in training, they spent quite a bit of time outdoors on missions and the like, but rarely did they have the time to do so recreationally. To the north of Vale was a small patch of woodland that was kept blissfully free of Grimm, but the terrain was too rocky and hilly for any sort of settlement. Instead, it served as a place to camp without worrying about the creatures for a change.

And the early spring weather was perfect for camping outdoors, still crisply cool in the evenings to warrant a campfire.

Of course, being as they were hunters-in-training, they still carried their assorted weaponry on them. Any errant Grimm that somehow wandered into the safe zone would be quickly disabused of the notion of an easy victim.

The eight of them said their good nights, Nora and Ren heading into one tent, Jaune into another, and Yang and Weiss into one more. Ruby was the first to slip through their tent's opening, looking about the small space anxiously before relaxing somewhat.

"The sleeping bag arrangement is rather ingenious," Pyrrha complimented.

"Thank you," Blake replied warmly. "I found the idea on a camping site for, er, couples."

"Well, I believe that would certainly apply to us," the redhead added with a slight blush.

Blake had unzipped a pair of sleeping bags, laying them open and then zipping the pair of them together, forming one extra-wide-sized bag for the three of them to share.

"Um, guys?" Ruby interjected worriedly as she slipped her cloak off to reveal her sweatpants and tee shirt. "Can I… ask a favor?"

"Certainly, Ruby, what is it?" the redhead replied.

"Um… I don't wanna be the little spoon tonight," the brunette mumbled, her eyes downcast. "Can I be in the middle?"

"Of course you can," Blake smiled. Pyrrha nodded, slipping into the bag first and scooting all the way over. Blake took Ruby's hand and led her over next to slide in against Pyrrha's back, with the Faunus girl following, zipping the bag up after she'd settled in.

Ruby snuggled into the press of her girlfriends' warm bodies. She always marveled, even though they'd been sharing a bed for a couple of weeks now, how different each of her girlfriends were. Blake was all soft curves with underlying steel, whereas Pyrrha's toned body was strength personified, though undeniably feminine. The smaller girl tried to relax and forget the ghost stories they'd been telling, instead trying to concentrate on the feeling of Pyrrha's bosom pressing against her back, something she rarely got to experience at night. And then her arm draped across Blake's waist, molding her soft body against her…

She wasn't a little girl to be scared by foolish things like ghost stories anymore. She had two undeniably wonderful and gorgeous girlfriends, and lying like this with them she could entertain thoughts of things that were decidedly non-childlike. She felt a small blush spread across her cheeks as she let her imagination run down paths that she knew they weren't ready to broach anytime soon but were highly enjoyable to entertain in her own head well enough.

But then the brunette tensed up as the wind moaned outside, sending the tree branches to rustling overhead.

Pyrrha tightened her arm around Ruby. "It's all right, little rose," she murmured. "They were just stories."

"I know, Pyrrha," she sighed disconcertedly. "It's just… ugh."

Blake tilted her head backward. "What's wrong?"

"It's… stupid. I've always been this way, scared of stupid stuff like this, whenever me an' Yang would stay up late and tell stories… They were fun to listen to and to talk about, but then I could never get to sleep. I'd have to run into Yang's bed like a little girl…"

"Ruby, you are not a child for being afraid of ghost stories," Pyrrha reassured her. "Nor is it childlike to seek comfort."

Blake shuffled around in the sleeping bag until she was facing Ruby, her amber eyes glowing in the dark and her Faunus ears just barely visible poking out over her head. "Especially when we are here to give you comfort." She reached up with a hand to cup Ruby's cheek. "Unless perhaps you'd like something to take your mind off of things?"

Ruby's brow furrowed. "Something like… Oh!" She grinned as Blake rolled her eyes and leaned in to press a quick kiss to her lips. "Well, if you're offering," the brunette murmured.

Her girlfriends certainly did a good job keeping her distracted. With Blake kissing her arduously, their tongues dancing around enough to send warmth spreading throughout her body, and Pyrrha behind her stroking her side and giving small kisses of her own along her neckline and shoulder, she quickly relaxed and let her mind go blank.

Until, that is, a low voice moaned outside the tent.

" _Ruuubyyyy…_."

The petite brunette sat upright with a terrified _squeak_. It was here, the monster had found her and was gonna eat her and then wear her face…

"NORA!" both Blake and Pyrrha exclaimed crossly.

Oh, right. Or it could just be Nora being her usual self.

Ren's apologetic voice sounded next as he audibly dragged the giggling Nora back to their tent. "Sorry, she got ahead of me returning from the restrooms."

"Good night you two," Pyrrha sighed loudly. "Again."

Ruby laid back down, her breathing once again under control. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's fine," the redhead assured her.

"Though you came close to biting off the end of my tongue," Blake grumbled mildly.

"Oh no!" Ruby exclaimed with a grin as she turned her way. "Here, lemme kiss it and make it better…"

"Oh, much smoother," Pyrrha snickered. "I think that gets an 'A' for both effort and delivery."

"I do aim to do my best," Ruby laughed, pressing another kiss into the giggling Faunus girl in her arms.

Several noises sounded in succession then. First, there was the sudden sound of a large tree branch falling onto the roof of their tent, closely followed by a startled shriek of terror, and on the heels of that, the mechanical _clack_ of _Crescent Rose_ being deployed.

And that is how they lost the upper half of their tent that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another early morning what-the-hell-am-I-doing-awake story. Too much fun not to jot down, however. Next chapter will be a little different, from the perspective of someone outside of Purruby or Yang or Weiss...
> 
> Stay shiny!


	22. Chapter 22

The shopkeeper had seen many things in his years managing the little cafe in downtown Vale. He'd seen revolution and oppression, as well as freedom and celebration. But what always interested him were the individual people and their stories.

One of his favorite pastimes, while tending to the customers that came by for his wide selection of teas and coffees, was to watch the folk in his establishment and try to figure out their stories.

Many were there to simply pass the time, waiting for an appointment or for someone to finish their activity elsewhere. Some just to relax from a stressful day at the office or wherever they worked. The tall, suited man who always came in at precisely eleven in the morning for tea for the past three years. He preferred green tea, with only one sugar, and would peruse the local paper while sipping. A half hour later he would leave again, the spring in his step from when he entered now missing as if he dreaded where he was to return to.

There were plenty of non-regulars, of course. An elderly mother and her daughter, bonding over coffee, both preferring their drinks strong and black. The daughter, dressed casually in jeans and a sweatshirt that read 'Signal Academy', was obviously worried for her parent for some reason, but the older woman would just shake her head calmly while resting her hand on her daughter's arm with a reassuring smile.

Towards the back were a group of teenagers, studying up for a test in algebra. They'd entered when he opened and had received three refills apiece, but their pace had picked up frantically. Likely the hour for their test was rapidly approaching.

The old man's eyes lit upon another pair of older teen girls, both dressed elegantly yet casually, one with long red hair, jeans, brown calf boots, and a white sweater, while the other raven-haired girl, sporting a large bow on top of her head, wore purple capris pants, black ankle boots, and a short-sleeved black blouse. They were sitting across from each other and chatting amicably, but it was the way that they would look at each other over the top of their cups (tea for the raven-haired girl, coffee for the redhead, both with a healthy dose of milk) and occasionally reach out to briefly touch each other's hand that led him to believe they were a couple. A rather cute one, at that.

The romantic stories were always a favorite of his, couples coming in on dates or just to enjoy each other's company as these two young women were. It often warmed his old heart to see young love blossom so earnestly.

While filling a to-go order, he glanced back over as the redhead giggled merrily, her hand held to her mouth, while her companion just sipped from her tea. Evidently, she'd managed to surprise her, based on the mischievous twinkle in her amber eyes. The redhead, for her part, wiped a tear of mirth from her own emerald green ones and shook her head. She reached across and took hold of the raven-haired girl's hand, holding on to it firmly this time as she stared at the other earnestly while speaking with a small smile.

Both of the girls paused in their conversation to look down at their hands, blushing lightly, but didn't relinquish the contact. Instead, the dark girl turned her hand over so that their fingers might entwine together, causing both of their blushes to deepen.

 _Ahh, so it's in the early stages still_ , he chuckled to himself. It was obvious that the pair had a certain chemistry, and were quite attracted to each other. He let a soft smile grow on his face as he washed out a set of coffee mugs, happy that his humble little cafe was playing a part in their burgeoning relationship.

The front door chimed just then, and he looked up to spy a shorter teenaged girl enter. She had chin-length brown hair that was dyed red at the tips and wore a red hooded cloak over torn jeans and a white tee shirt with an emblem of a rose on it. Just as he opened his mouth to ask how he might be of assistance, the brunette let out a happy squeal before launching herself over towards the table with the other two girls.

The elderly shopkeeper smiled again, thinking that perhaps a friend of the couple just happened to come across them, but then he paused when he noticed the very passionate yet brief kiss she planted on the redhead. And then again, on the raven-haired girl.

_Well. That's not something you see every day._

What was almost visibly palpable, however, was the energy that picked up at the table now that the couple had become three. He could practically feel the love radiating from over there, equally between the three of them, something that quite honestly was a first for him.

Most certainly a day to remember.

Just then the brunette gave a little jump, stopping herself from her joyous chatter as she hopped up and approached the shopkeeper.

"Hi there!" she chirped, silver eyes shining merrily. "Could I get a coffee, please? Cream and five sugars, if you don't mind, sir!"

"Certainly, miss," he smiled warmly. He quickly prepared the hot drink as requested, providing it to her with a flourish.

"Thanks! Oh, how much?" the brunette asked with a smile.

He waved her away. "No charge. You just enjoy your day now with those other two lovely ladies!"

The girl giggled and picked up her mug with a nod. "Thanks again! And I definitely plan to!"

He watched her skip back to join her companions, miraculously not spilling a drop of coffee even with as much as she bounced along.

 _Yep,_ he mused with a pensive smile. _Definitely not something you see every day._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Random shopkeeper / best girl makes an appearance! Whee!
> 
> Alright, so now we're up to another three-part set (hmm, I do like to do things in threes don't I?) that I've been anticipating. Enjoy the next chapters!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	23. Chapter 23

Ruby had been acting quite oddly lately. Well, more so than usual, perhaps a bit mysteriously if Pyrrha might ascribe an adverb to her behavior.

The tall redhead had often seen her in huddled conversation with either Yang or Weiss, sometimes both, but when she or Blake had approached she'd just giggle and meet them halfway as if nothing was amiss.

Today was Saturday, and after Pyrrha had awoken from her customary place of slumber in Blake's bed, she was startled to see that Ruby had already gotten up and left the room. In fact, from the sound of things, she and Blake were the sole occupants right now.

And if _that_ wasn't enough to make a conflicted blush spread across her face, Pyrrha had ended up on her back somehow with Blake curled up against her, purring quietly in her sleep.

She looked down at the slumbering Cat Faunus with a sort of wonder. If anyone had told her that she'd end up in this position back when she first mustered up the courage to ask Ruby out, well… She certainly wouldn't have believed them. Would she still take the same path, knowing then what she did now?

 _Oh, yes,_ she smiled to herself softly as she ran her hand through Blake's raven tresses. _Most definitely._

She sighed to herself, once again cognizant of the fact that as surely as she'd become head-over-heels in love with the vivacious brunette, currently missing in action, she was falling for the girl in her arms just as hard.

_How is it possible to love two women, this much and at the same time?_

Blake stirred slightly, tightening her arm draped around Pyrrha's waist. Her amber eyes blinked open slowly before gazing around and lighting upon her face.

"Good morning," the redhead breathed.

The raven-haired girl smiled sweetly. "'Morning," she mumbled back before burrowing in closer with her head in Pyrrha's shoulder. "Where's Ruby?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"No idea. She was gone when I woke, as are the others."

Blake seemed to stiffen slightly. "Um. So… we're alone?"

"Mmhmm."

"Oh."

Pyrrha laughed lightly as she placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head, right between her Faunus ears. "That was about my reaction as well."

Blake gave another short purr from the contact but kept her face burrowed in the crook of Pyrrha's shoulder. Knowing her, it was to hide the blush now on her face.

Not wanting her to feel overly uncomfortable, Pyrrha reached over to lightly scritch in between Blake's ears. The Faunus girl let out a happy little sound of contentment and hugged the redhead closer to her before resuming her purring, though at a much louder pitch.

Laughing softly once more, Pyrrha kept up her ministrations, enjoying both the close contact with the other girl as well as the opportunity to make her this happy.

"I really do love the fact that you can be this comfortable with me," she murmured. "I just… I appreciate it. Truly, I do."

Still purring, though softer now, Blake craned her neck so that she could peer into her face once more. "You're the only other person besides Ruby that I can be this way with," she whispered. "And I cannot adequately express just how… grateful I am. To both of you, allowing me to be myself." Her amber eyes got a bit watery, though not enough to shed any tears. "Thank you."

Pyrrha shifted her hand to the back of Blake's head, wordlessly tilted her head down, and gave Blake a tender kiss. She tried to convey in actions what she couldn't in words, either through her own momentary cowardice or her inability to articulate just how much the Faunus girl meant to her. Blake eagerly returned the affection, pushing herself up so that they were at an even level.

She wasn't sure who initiated it, but soon enough their tongues were dancing against each other, Blake's slightly rough but only enough to give her a small thrill of pleasure from the contact. Pyrrha moaned softly into Blake's mouth, wrapping her free arm around her and pulling her onto her chest. In return, the raven-haired girl snaked one arm around her neck and the other around her waist under her, pressing their bodies close.

Their half-dressed bodies, clad only in nightclothes, of which Pyrrha's was now riding up on her, the nightshirt exposing her panties that Blake was now pressing into…

Pyrrha broke the kiss with a gasp, her face flushed and eyes wild. "B- Blake," she stammered softly. "Er, that is… I don't…"

Blake's amber eyes, at first confused, suddenly lit up in understanding, and she leapt backward to end up at the foot of the bed, crouched but with her eyes averted from the display Pyrrha was now inadvertently putting on.

"I'm sorry," Blake gasped, blushing furiously. "I didn't mean to-"

"No, no it's quite alright," she hastened to reassure her, quickly pulling her nightshirt back down. "Really, it was accidental…"

"Still, I let things, er… get out of hand…"

Pyrrha sat up, reaching over to cup Blake's cheek tenderly. "No, you did not." She pressed another kiss to her lips, firm but soft. "And I did not… mind the kissing part. I just don't know if I'm ready for, well… anything else." Her own blush intensified. "Quite yet."

Blake stared at her wordlessly, her eyes dancing about as she tried to come to grips with some hidden emotion. The moment was broken by the twin vibrations of their scrolls from where they lay on Blake's desk.

The redhead gave her a small smile that was returned as the pair of them retrieved their scrolls.

"Well," Pyrrha murmured. "It would seem as if we are given the morning to ourselves."

Blake nodded, her brow furrowed. "And Ruby specifically wants us out of the room, and away from Beacon, until lunchtime…"

They shared a curious look. "She has been acting a bit… off lately," Blake mused.

Pyrrha nodded. "Rather mysterious," she opined, reiterating her earlier thoughts.

"Well, I suppose we could… go into Vale?" Blake asked hesitantly. "Perhaps get some breakfast?"

The redhead smiled at her warmly. "I think that would be grand. I'll go get dressed and meet you in the hallway."

"Take your time, I need to shower still."

Nodding, Pyrrha went to leave, but Blake caught her by the arm first, turning her around and giving her another kiss. This one was longer, slower, almost as if time itself slowed down. And when they parted, it was with a contented sigh from the both of them.

She giggled softly as she stepped backwards, Blake's hand slipping down her arm until she briefly held her hand before releasing it. They gave each other another small smile before Pyrrha finally left for her room.

The rest of her team were there and greeted her, Nora as enthusiastic as always, but her mind really wasn't on the interaction, instead mulling over her morning.

 _What is Blake to me?_ she pondered. _Do I truly love her? I believe I do, and it's not just our bond with Ruby that seems to be giving me these feelings… It's her, Blake herself._

_I wonder if… Could we be girlfriends as well? Does she feel the same way about me?_

As she pulled on a casual outfit for the day, she decided to push her unresolved musings to the back of her mind. There was time to figure out what, exactly, Blake and she were. For this morning, though, she'd simply enjoy the time with her, as it wasn't terribly often that just the pair of them got to hang out.

* * *

Blake and Pyrrha strolled through the streets of Vale, the Cat Faunus with her arm linked through the taller redhead's. They'd gotten breakfast at one of their favorite cafes ( _We've been together long enough to actually have a favorite cafe…_ ) and stopped by the bookstore. Pyrrha had never been much of a reader outside of textbooks, but Blake had been happily sharing some of her adventure tales from her bookshelf, and so she was able to keep up with the excited raven-haired girl as she picked through the new arrivals. Many of the authors were now familiar to her, as well as some of the series that Blake pointed out to her.

Pyrrha had smiled softly at her companion, watching how the normally reticent girl's amber eyes twinkled with enthusiasm as she perused the shelves of the bookstore. She felt so incredibly honored to see this side of her, to be included in her simple joy at discovering a new book she hadn't heard of yet.

They left the bookstore and began to head for the airbus to take them back to Beacon, bags in hand. Blake had several new ones she'd bought, but surprisingly enough so did Pyrrha. Mostly recommendations from Blake on stories she had read in the past that she felt the redhead would enjoy and appreciate.

As they boarded the airbus, still chatting happily, their scrolls vibrated. It was a joint message from Ruby, asking if they were on their way to the room, which Pyrrha answered in the affirmative. She received a simple reply, _Good_.

"What on Remnant is this girl planning?" Pyrrha mused.

Blake chuckled lightly. "Knowing her, something grandiose and over-the-top."

"She does know how to show her appreciation, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does," the Faunus girl sighed dreamily. The two girls shared a blush and a giggle as they were both likely thinking the same thing.

"I just don't understand how she is so good at kissing!" Pyrrha exclaimed quietly.

"Natural talent?" Blake grinned. "I'm not complaining. Nor would I ever complain about, er…" She cleared her throat. "Yours, either."

"Oh," Pyrrha murmured. "Well… That is, I very much enjoy… Yes. Very much."

Blake snickered over the redhead's unusual flustering, which seemed to only come about regarding their threesome. "It's alright, Pyrrha," she interjected humorously. "I get it."

Pyrrha nodded, clamping her mouth shut over her inane babbling and just looked out the window. She knew she was blushing furiously, but a slow smile crept across her face as she felt Blake take her hand into her own and lean her head against her shoulder.

"Hey, Pyrrha," Blake murmured after a few moments.

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering… well…"

Pyrrha turned her head, gazing down at the raven-haired girl affectionately. "Wondering what?"

Clearing her throat once more, this time in nervousness, Blake rushed ahead. "Would you want to call me 'kitty cat' like Ruby does?"

She sucked in a surprised breath, but quickly grinned at the idea. "I'd like that," she replied softly. "Kitty cat."

Blake grinned as well, snuggling in closer and placing a quick kiss on the side of her neck. "Thanks," she whispered.

They walked back to their dorm building, hand in hand, enjoying the bright spring weather. The temperature was still mild but the sunlight warmed their faces.

"Now we just need to come up with a nickname for you," Blake murmured thoughtfully.

"For me?" Pyrrha laughed. "It's not necessary, truly."

"I want to, though. We call Ruby 'little rose', and you both call me 'kitty cat'... Hmm…"

Blake's features remained furrowed in thought as they entered the building, though she kept sneaking sideways glances at the redhead. Finally, she gave a sigh. "I'll have to work with Ruby on this. A nickname shall be forthcoming, have no fear."

"I was never all that concerned to begin with, I assure you," Pyrrha laughed.

They finally got to their room, but upon opening it, saw that it was still just as deserted as before.

"Did she not say to meet her here?" the redhead asked quizzically.

Blake headed over towards her bed, noticing something out of place as she placed both of their bags on her desk. She picked up a notecard containing Ruby's neat script and let out a laugh. "What is she…?" The raven-haired girl shook her head as she handed the piece of paper to Pyrrha.

On it, Ruby had written, "Valiant heroes, your princess has been captured! Gather your weapons for an adventure!" It was followed by a string of numbers and letters.

"Well," Pyrrha grinned. "I do believe we have an adventure ahead of us!"

"I suppose we do," Blake laughed again. "Well, can't disappoint our princess now, can we?"

They quickly separated to don their normal combat attire, meeting out in the hallway once more before heading down towards their weapon lockers.

"What do these figures mean, though?" Pyrrha mused, staring at the card while they walked.

"Library catalog," Blake answered confidently. "It's a classification system for books. We'll head for the library after we retrieve our weapons."

The redhead shot her an amused grin. "You are certainly something else, aren't you?"

Blake blushed lightly at the praise, and ducked her head slightly. "Er… well, it's just because I spend all my time in there…"

"Well, I do as well, or at least I used to… Still, it wasn't something I thought of." She reached over and took hold of Blake's hand again, giving it a quick squeeze.

They held on to each other until they'd retrieved their armaments, Blake her _Gambol Shroud_ and Pyrrha her _Milo_ and _Akouo_. They then quickly headed over towards the library.

"Let's see…" Blake mused, glancing between the card and the library shelves. "I don't believe I've ever been in this category before… Oh, here we go!"

"Self-help?" Pyrrha questioned.

"Well, that's the category." Blake skimmed down the shelf before her finger came to a rest. She stared at the book uncomprehendingly before letting out an uncharacteristic sharp bark of laughter, earning her several glares from other students.

Pyrrha leaned over her shoulder and read the title.

_How To Pick Up Women._

"Is she trying to tell us something, do you think?" Pyrrha giggled.

"I think she's just being funny. Let's take a look… Aha!" Blake pulled another piece of card stock out of the book triumphantly.

"That would appear to be nothing but a long list of numbers…" Pyrrha said, her brows furrowed.

"She got this from one of the novels I lent her," Blake chuckled. "It's a code! Here, take the book and I'll go grab a piece of paper and pencil."

They sat down at one of the tables together, Pyrrha with the card while Blake poised over the piece of scrap paper, the book in between them.

"Okay," Blake whispered excitedly. "Each set of numbers is first a page, then a paragraph, and then a word. Go ahead and read the numbers off to me!"

Grinning, Pyrrha complied, and between the two of them, a simple message began to emerge.

"Right, that's the last set… so we have 'Congrats your on success'." Blake snickered. "I think she got those middle two switched around. Okay, so… 'Your next trial is in the training room.'"

"Er, which training room?"

"I suppose we shall see when we get to the rooms." Blake stood, pulling Pyrrha up by the hand with her. "Come, fellow warrior!"

"Lead on, valiant heroine!" Pyrrha giggled excitedly as they raced out of the library, once more hand-in-hand.

Fortunately, it was easy to find which room they were to use, as it was clearly marked as having been reserved for Team RWBY for the afternoon. The girls eagerly opened the door to see Yang and Weiss, also decked out in combat gear, chatting together amicably.

"Well, finally!" Weiss huffed, though her smile cut through her irritation.

"Didn't think a pair of nerds like you would take that long on the book thingie," Yang chuckled. "So, you guys ready to do this?"

"Er… do what, exactly?" Pyrrha asked hesitantly.

"Fight us, of course!" the blonde laughed cheerfully. "Ya gotta get past us if you wanna reach my sister!"

"And my partner!" Weiss reminded them with a confident smirk. "And don't think we'll be going easy on you!"

"Well," Pyrrha grinned as she slipped her weapons into her hands. "This should be interesting…"

"True," Blake replied, pulling her own weapon out. "Should be fun, though. You ready?"

"Always," Pyrrha grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's part one of the trio of chapters! Ruby has been busy planning something, but what else does the devious little brunette intend to throw at our heroines? Stay tuned tomorrow!
> 
> I realize that I write both Blake and Pyrrha with a lot of blushes. Okay, a whole boatload of them. Once they figure out what they feel for each other, I expect it would reduce somewhat. At least until Ruby gets involved, she always knows how to make them blush, but she thinks it's adorable when they do…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	24. Chapter 24

Blake and Pyrrha stood shoulder to shoulder, facing off against Yang and Weiss. They were all decked out in their combat gear and ready for a rather intense sparring session if appearances were to be believed.

"So, you're not about to tell us what this is all about?" Blake asked calmly.

"Sure," her blonde teammate chuckled. "We're bein' the bad guys today!"

Weiss gave a rather uncharacteristic giggle and nodded. "It's a lot more fun than I imagined it would be."

The Cat Faunus shook her head with a rueful smile. "Got a plan?" she murmured to her temporary sparring partner.

Pyrrha gave a small thoughtful _hmm_. "I believe I can handle Yang if you would take Weiss?"

"Works for me," Blake told the Mistralian champion. "Lead off."

With that, Pyrrha exploded into action, throwing her spear out with the speed of a gunshot at the blonde bruiser. Yang got her arms up just in time to deflect the blow, though she staggered back a step from the power of it.

Weiss quickly plunged _Myrtenaster_ into the ground, sending a field of icy spikes out and towards the two of them. Pyrrha was already in motion and nimbly leapt over the obstacle, catching _Milo_ in midair to come crashing down on Yang's position. Her opponent was ready for her and fired a quick one-two combo from her gauntlets that the redhead sent off to the side with _Akouo_.

Meanwhile, Blake quickly closed with her white-haired teammate, lashing out with _Gambol Shroud_ on the end of its ribbon. Weiss easily batted it away with her rapier, but the Faunus merely used the attack as a distraction. She flipped in close, spinning around in a kick to sweep the heiress' feet from under her before leaping back again. She left a shadow clone behind to absorb the inevitable retaliation strike and quickly whipped her weapon back around to keep Weiss occupied.

Pyrrha and Yang were going at it with their characteristically fierce, thunderous strikes that shook the foundation of the training room. Each had managed to get a few good hits in past their opponent's defenses but nothing significant.

The redhead knew that the longer she let this go on, the more energy Yang would store up. In their previous sparring sessions, they'd usually trade off on wins, but the only times Pyrrha would defeat the blonde were when she took her into the red quickly before she managed to start landing the hard and heavy attacks.

And that gave her an idea.

"Blake!" she called out, circling around to put Yang's back at the other battling pair. _Time to work like a team and not individuals._

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but Yang was certainly surprised enough when the ribbon from _Gambol Shroud_ suddenly entangled her leg. She went down onto her face, hard, and Pyrrha could finally dart in close…

And touch both parts of _Ember Celica_.

Yang looked up, her lilac eyes filled with dread. "Oh, for-"

That was all she got out as Pyrrha flicked her arms to the side, sending Yang flying over and into Weiss. The heiress was about to strike out at Blake while the Faunus girl was distracted, but was bowled over and pinned to the ground by her teammate's weight. Her rapier went skidding off to the side.

Both Pyrrha and Blake got to their feet and strolled over towards the struggling pair.

"Ouch, Yang you oaf! That's my chest!"

"Well, I'm sorry Princess, I'm not really tryin' to cop a feel here…"

"I would certainly hope not!"

"Though if _you_ wanna, I ain't gonna blame ya…"

"Yang!" the heiress sputtered, her face red with embarrassment. "Get off me this instant!"

"Can't," Yang replied smugly, her arms secured to the floor on either side of her teammate. "Gotta ask Pyrrha for permission first."

Weiss let out a sigh and looked up at the smirking duo. "Please, Pyrrha, will you release us before I'm smothered by this girl's bosom?"

"Heh," Yang chuckled. "Death by boobs. Could be worse ways to go…"

"Yang!"

"Well, I would certainly be willing to release you both…" Pyrrha chuckled softly. "However, there is the little problem of our missing girlfriend."

"Do you concede the fight?" Blake grinned.

"Well, I dunno…" the blonde mused.

"Yes! Yes, we concede, alright!" Weiss interjected angrily.

Pyrrha released her semblance, and they helped their opponents to their feet. Yang gave Blake an enthusiastic hug and then turned to do the same for Pyrrha.

"Nice teamwork, you two!" the blonde exclaimed. "We gotta do it again sometime!"

"Not anytime soon, please," Weiss sighed, rubbing her shoulders. "I do believe I almost pulled something when you landed on me."

"Hey, you should try wearing these beauties sometimes, man I had to build up some serious shoulder muscles…"

"Yang…" Weiss sighed again, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just… give them the note? Please?"

"Oh! Right!" Yang gave the other girls a bright smile as she pulled out another piece of cardstock with a flourish. "Your reward for defeating us vile brigands, valiant heroines!"

Pyrrha took the paper with a giggle. "Thank you, kind lady."

"You bet! And hey," the blonde grinned. "Serious about a rematch. Anytime you're _red_ -y would be _purr_ fect!"

Blake swatted her partner on the arm. "Stop that. And can you tell us now what's going on?"

"Nope!" Yang replied cheerfully. "You want the girl, you still gotta fight for her!"

Pyrrha slipped the card over to Blake for her to read. On it, Ruby instructed her girlfriends (valiant warriors) to head for the courtyard (daunting battlefield bordered by the heroic monument) to face their final opponent (boss fight). Blake had to snicker at the last.

"She plays too many games," the Faunus girl laughed.

"And no clues as to who this last opponent might be?" Pyrrha asked, one eyebrow raised humorously.

"Oh, no," Weiss replied, a wide smirk on her face. "That would spoil the surprise."

"Well, then," Pyrrha sighed, glancing over at Blake. "Shall we?"

"We shall," the raven-haired girl replied confidently. As they strode towards the exit, Pyrrha's hand brushed up against Blake's almost questioningly. She hesitated briefly, cognizant of her teammates watching them depart, but finally shrugged internally and took the redhead's hand in hers.

_It's not like I'm embarrassed or trying to hide anything. I just don't know what this is yet._

Blake took a few moments to reflect on her growing feelings for the tall redhead walking at her side. They had certainly passed the boundaries of simple friendship, even close ones. But where did that leave them?

_Never in my life have I even considered it a possibility to love two women at the same time, not to mention having that love returned. I considered myself lucky to even find one person willing to share their heart with me on such a level… Could Pyrrha actually return these feelings?_

She knew that there was a conversation that needed to happen, but as usual, she was hesitant to take the first step. Perhaps she might find the time to bring this up with Ruby first…

"That was very well done, by the way," Pyrrha murmured, breaking into her thoughts. "Tripping Yang up like that gave me the perfect opening."

Blake blushed slightly at the compliment. "Thank you. And I must say, that was the best finish to any sparring session I've ever had."

They shared a quick smile as they exited the training building before blinking in the sudden sunlight, hands upraised to shield themselves. Across from them was the central courtyard with the hunter statue, an easy landmark on campus.

Their smiles faded as they got closer and found a tall and lanky man waiting patiently for them. He had hair the color of Blake's, though his eyes were an intense red in color, similar to Yang's when she released her semblance.

"So, guess you two would be Pyrrha and Blake, huh?" the man asked in a raspy voice. "Name's Qrow, might have heard of me."

Blake had a variety of choice curses she saved up for moments like these. She ran through the entire gamut in her head as she stared at the legendary hunter who also happened to be Ruby's uncle.

"Right. So if you wanna get to my niece," the gaunt man continued, unfolding a giant and deadly-looking scythe from behind his back in a whirring of gears. "You gotta face me first."

Pyrrha's response was simply a small noise. " _Eep_."

And Blake could only let out a tiny _mewl_ of agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is why I said earlier that Qrow would be finding out before Tai. Seems Ruby called her Uncle in for help with her little adventure that she set up for her girlfriends. Been nice knowing you, Blake and Pyrrha…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	25. Chapter 25

"Are we seriously supposed to fight a full-fledged hunter?" Blake hissed in disbelief.

Pyrrha couldn't seem to look away from the smirking visage of Qrow, the man they were to face next in Ruby's adventure she had laid out for them. _I believe we will need to discuss our differing definitions of 'fun' at a later date,_ she mused with an eerie sort of calm.

"Alright, girls!" Yang called out excitedly from behind them. "Kick some butt!"

The pair turned to regard both Yang and Weiss as they approached. The blonde carried a tub of some sort in her hands as they sat down on the edge of the statue's pedestal as if to watch the entertainment.

"Is that… Did you bring popcorn?" Blake asked incredulously.

"Yep!" Yang replied cheekily. "I came prepared!"

"Though she didn't actually pop it, so I have no idea why she even bothered," Weiss grumped.

The blonde snickered as she flexed her fingers around the cardboard tub. "Still got some of my semblance stored up, figgured this'd be perfect!"

Before long there came the sound of kernels popping, and both the blonde bruiser and the heiress were sitting there, contentedly munching on fresh popcorn while waiting for the festivities to start.

"I don't believe you two," Blake sighed, turning forward once more.

Pyrrha did as well, glancing over at the patiently awaiting hunter. _Well, he's still there. I presume this is truly about to happen._ "Er, I don't suppose you intend on going a bit easier on us?"

"Now, where would the fun be in that?" the lanky man snickered.

_Yes, obviously a relative of Ruby's and with the same twisted definition of fun…_

"You c'n do this, guys!" Yang shouted excitedly. "He's a creaky old man! You c'n take 'im!"

"Who you callin' old, kid?" Qrow snarked back.

"Please, Yang, do not agitate the hunter who is about to slaughter us," Blake pleaded weakly.

Pyrrha straightened her shoulders. "She is correct, though. We can do this, between the two of us. We are excellent fighters. So long as we work together…"

The Faunus girl nodded, her resolve strengthening as well. "Together," she simply stated with renewed confidence.

The pair took out their weapons and began to approach the hunter. Qrow held his position, cradling his scythe almost negligently behind him with the blade resting on the ground.

"You sure you wanna do this?" he asked mildly. "Not gonna blame you any if you turn away."

"Are you suggesting we would turn our backs on Ruby?" Pyrrha asked, an eyebrow raised defiantly.

"Because there's no way that's going to happen," Blake added firmly. "She is very worth fighting for."

Qrow gave them a nod and a tight grin. "Just what I was hoping to hear." And with that, he was off.

The man moved incredibly fast, his aura-assisted speed-attacks like a whirlwind. Blake had to leap around almost constantly, leaving countless shadow clones behind to keep from becoming bisected. For her part, Pyrrha was able to deflect the rapid strikes from his oversized tool of death, but it took her full concentration and both of her weapons to do so. She couldn't even hope to get a strike in of her own.

After a good five minutes, both Pyrrha and Blake ended up together once more across the courtyard from Qrow. He seemed content to let the two panting girls regain their breath, though he seemed to be barely winded.

"This…" Pyrrha groaned, stretching her arm muscles out. "...is not working."

"No, I think we need to use some more of that teamwork you mentioned," Blake mused, flexing her grip around her weapon. "You seem to be able to hold him off pretty well."

"I can, yes, but I cannot strike back."

"So… just keep him off me. I'll stay behind you and use you as a shield."

Pyrrha barked out a quick laugh. "It's worth a try. Ready?"

"Ready."

The pair moved in again and were eagerly met in the middle by the scythe-wielder. This time, however, Pyrrha kept up her constant defense, not even looking for any openings to strike out, simply concentrating on intercepting each and every one of Qrow's attacks. Blake, for her part, stuck to Pyrrha like a shadow. Every so often she'd strike out, fast as a King Taijitu, with _Gambol Shroud_ either in katana or kusarigama form, holding her sheath across her body to block any strikes that Pyrrha could not when she exposed herself.

It took a good fifteen minutes of intense combat, both of the girls staying light on their feet to avoid decapitation by the giant scythe, but eventually they wore Qrow down enough that Blake could trip him up with her weapon on the end of its ribbon. The hunter and his weapon hit the ground, but before he could roll back to his feet both Blake and Pyrrha were standing on either side of him, _Gambol Shroud_ and _Milo_ pointed at his throat.

"Yield," Pyrrha demanded, her chest rising and falling as she gulped in air.

Qrow chuckled and raised his hands up in defeat. "Not bad, you two," he murmured appreciatively. "Not bad at all." He reached into his breast pocket and withdrew another of the familiar cards.

"I get now what she sees in the both of you," he continued as he dropped his head back again wearily. The girls put their weapons away as Pyrrha took hold of the card. "You tell her I approve, okay?"

"Um… sure. That is, thank you, sir," Blake replied, nonplussed.

A laughing blonde strode up, having left the popcorn with Weiss. "C'mon old man, lemme help you up. We gots popcorn to share."

With matching exultant grins, the redhead and raven-haired girl moved off to read the note together.

"'Come claim your prize where we first smooched'?" Blake murmured incredulously.

Pyrrha laughed lightly. "I suppose she lost patience with the flowery writing."

The pair took off eagerly, racing up the steps of the familiar small tower on the edge of Beacon. At the top, waiting with barely restrained patience, was a small brunette girl clad in a red dress and sheer black stockings, though without shoes on her feet. She was bouncing on her toes in anticipation of their arrival.

"My heroes!" Ruby exclaimed with a squeal, launching herself into her girlfriend's arms and covering the both of them in kisses.

Blake and Pyrrha laughingly returned the affection, though Blake brought her in for a more intense kiss, followed on the heels by Pyrrha.

They separated breathlessly, all three of them still holding hands.

"So what exactly was all this, Ruby?" Blake asked curiously.

"Well… it's our three month anniversary!" Ruby laughed. "You two asked me out on a date three months ago today!"

She began moving backward, leading the three of them over to where a blanket was laid out with a picnic lunch.

"I wanted to do something special for you guys!" the brunette continued cheerfully. "And the best part is that Ozpin gave me temporary access to some security cameras so I could watch and record the whole thing! Oh, hey, that reminds me!"

She pulled her scroll out and turned so that both Blake and Pyrrha were looking over each of her shoulders. "I wanna selfie to commemorate!"

The trio of grinning girls posed for a quick picture before they fell upon the meal Ruby had assembled for them. Blake was practically purring over the smoked salmon, and Pyrrha gratefully dug into the pasta salad teeming with the vegetables that she loved so, while Ruby contentedly wolfed down cookies from a platter she pulled out. Both Blake and Pyrrha gave their girlfriend their enthusiastic thanks for both the activities of the day as well as the wonderful picnic.

"I still can't believe you set all this up for us," Blake laughed, reaching over to give Ruby's knee an affectionate squeeze.

"Even getting your Uncle in on it," Pyrrha shook her head ruefully. "That was a bit of a shock."

"Aww, Uncle Qrow's a big softie once you get to know 'im," Ruby giggled.

"Well, he did say to tell you that he approves."

"Of course he does!" Ruby exclaimed. "Who wouldn't love the both of you? And anyways, he gave me a fist-bump when I told him you were my girlfriends!" She frowned briefly. "Though he did crack up when I told him dad doesn't know yet. I dunno why that was so funny…"

"Still…" Blake murmured. "Not a pair of fights I want to do again anytime soon. And I definitely couldn't have done it without Pyrrha."

"I had your back, kitty cat," Pyrrha winked at her.

Ruby suddenly sat upright and gasped loudly. "You called her 'kitty cat'!" She let out an excited squeal and dove into Pyrrha's arms. "I'm so happy!"

"Well, she did ask me to, and I'm more than pleased to do so," Pyrrha murmured, blushing lightly.

Ruby hopped off of Pyrrha's lap to jump into Blake's next, happily spreading around her affection. Truthfully, it was just as likely she was missing the touch of her girlfriends after being absent from them all day.

"You know," Blake said with a smile. "This means we need a nickname for Pyrrha now."

"It does!" Ruby gasped once more, sitting up in her lap. She and Blake faced the redhead, cheek to cheek and with identically mischievous looks on their faces.

"No, truly, you do not need to do so," Pyrrha protested weakly.

"Oh, yes we so do," Ruby giggled. "Operation Find Pyrrha The Most Adorable Nickname Ever has been set into motion!" She turned to Blake, and they gave each other a high-five. "Banzai!" they proclaimed jointly.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this," Pyrrha mumbled as she stuffed another forkful of delicious pasta salad into her mouth.

_Oh, who am I kidding. I would love anything the two of them came up with for me._

_Just as much as I truly love the both of them._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mayyybeee Qrow was holding back just a smidge. Still, we know how kickass a fighter Pyrrha is, and even though she wouldn't stand a chance by herself against him, teamed up with Blake gave them an edge. And that finishes up the three-chapter set of adventure! Next chapter, though, I think it's time for Pyrrha and Blake to resolve some things finally, don't you?
> 
> Stay shiny!


	26. Chapter 26

The landing pad for Beacon Academy was fairly deserted this late at night, save for four individuals dressed in the school uniforms of students there. One of them, a tall and athletic-looking girl with long red hair tied back behind her head, looked to be the most agitated of the group as she paced back and forth.

"You don't all have to wait with me, you know," Pyrrha said for perhaps the dozenth time. "Honestly, I appreciate the thought, but I can stay out here by myself."

"Well, what else are we gonna do?" Nora asked, sitting cross-legged on the ground as she tinkered with _Magnhild_ while in its grenade-launcher form. "Study?"

"That would not be such a terrible idea," Ren interjected softly. "Still, you know we would all prefer to be here with you."

"If nothing else so that you don't go harass the traffic controller again," Jaune joked with an easy grin. "Last time they kicked you out, what, ten minutes ago? What was it they said?"

Pyrrha sighed. "That they would call Ozpin next time they saw me," she grumbled mildly. "It's just…"

"I know, Pyrrha," her blond team leader replied gently. "They're overdue. But on their way, so no need to fret anymore."

"I'll stop fretting when I have my arms around them," the redhead retorted without any rancor.

"'Them', huh?"

"Er…" Pyrrha stopped in her pacing to regard her partner. "Well… yes. Both of them."

Jaune nodded thoughtfully. "And it hasn't bothered you at all, Blake and Ruby being off alone during their extended mission?"

Pyrrha shrugged, genuinely unconcerned. "No, not at all."

"Yup," Nora said, popping the end of the word. "No hesitation there whatsoever. She's hooked."

"I'm… Wait, what?"

"Y'know, hooked! Head over heels, crazy attached, itchin' for some mad lovin'... Want me to go on?"

"No, thank you, Nora," Pyrrha blushed. "Er, I get the idea."

"So, I don't want to overly pry," Jaune continued hesitantly. "But… well, are you and Blake, maybe…"

The tall redhead sighed once more, her eyes averted to the ground. "I'm not sure what to make of Blake and I," she admitted quietly. "We're… more than friends, that much is certain. And I desperately want them to be happy, Ruby and Blake both…"

"Do they both make _you_ happy?" Ren inquired.

She smiled softly. "Yes. Yes, they do."

"Then why are you worried about this?"

"I'm… not, truly. I just… I just want them to return safely. Both of them. That is all for right now."

Nora let out a small chuckle as she snapped a cover back onto her weapon. "Yep, you're hooked on the two 'em."

Pyrrha nodded slowly as her head perked up, alerted by the distant whine of engines. "I suppose I am," she quietly admitted, a smile growing on her face.

She bounced on her toes in uncharacteristic eagerness as she watched the Bulldog approach. It had been a very long four days without either girl by her side when they'd been almost constant companions for over three months now. Not to mention the incredibly lonely nights sleeping in her bed without the warmth of the other two girls…

Finally, the transport touched down, and the hatch hardly had the time to open before a red blur shot towards her, preceded by a barely audible cry of her name.

Pyrrha staggered slightly as Ruby crashed into her, the diminutive brunette wrapping her arms around her neck and kicking her feet into the air. The redhead laughed and spun about once with the smaller girl in her arms, causing the brunette to giggle joyously.

"Didja miss me?" Ruby grinned up at her, her nose an inch away from her chin and her silver eyes twinkling merrily.

Wordlessly Pyrrha placed her hands on her waist and lifted her up enough to seal her lips over her girlfriend's, displaying just how much she did, in fact, miss her.

Ruby slowly lowered her feet down so that she was standing on her tiptoes on top of Pyrrha's boots, making rather pleased sounds in the back of her throat.

They separated after only a few moments, Ruby's grin now matched by the one on Pyrrha's face. "Every day, little rose," she finally answered breathlessly.

Weiss and Yang were now walking by, and she gave the both of them warm greetings in turn, though her eyes sought out the other person she had eagerly awaited.

Blake sauntered up last, almost nervous in her stance, and stopped a couple of feet away as Ruby disentangled herself.

Pyrrha gave the Cat Faunus a shy smile and stepped forward, reaching out to take the other's hand. "Hey, you," she smiled cautiously, unsure as to the other girl's mood.

"Hello, Pyrrha," she answered quietly though with a small, timorous smile nonetheless.

"Okay!" Ruby said loudly, startling everyone on the platform. "I gotta go make our team report! Blake and Pyrrha go talk, everyone else with me!" And with that she marched off, the others trailing bemusedly in her wake.

"Um," the redhead started. "Talk?"

"If you don't mind... " Blake said, glancing away but still maintaining her grip on Pyrrha's hand. "That is… can we take a walk? I… would like to speak with you about something."

"Certainly," Pyrrha answered, although her insides were beginning to knot up.

_Is she perhaps upset at how we've been together? Have we been moving too fast, or… or does she want more time alone with Ruby?_

They walked together off of the platform and along the unlit grounds of Beacon, mostly quiet at this time of night though a few nocturnal woodland creatures could be heard. She knew her palms were beginning to sweat, and while she was dreading the conclusion of this conversation, she desperately wished it to be over with.

"So…" Blake began, so softly that she had to lean a little closer to hear her. "While we were out… Ruby and I talked some."

Pyrrha held her tongue and just nodded slowly, nervously rubbing her other hand along her school uniform skirt.

"The thing is… That is, I need to tell you…" The raven-haired girl stopped, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "I'm not very good at this sort of thing," she admitted quietly.

"At… what, exactly?" Pyrrha asked through lips that felt numb.

"Taking a first step like this," Blake answered, her eyes still screwed shut. "It's one of the things I've always admired about you, Pyrrha, your bravery. I never would have even asked Ruby out that first day were it not for Yang and Weiss to prod me."

"Well, truthfully, it took Nora's urging for me to do so myself," Pyrrha admitted.

Blake opened her eyes, then, her amber orbs glowing in the dim light. "Truly?"

"Indeed."

"Well, then… I suppose…" Blake's eyes danced around Pyrrha's face, likely able to see her wary expression as clearly if it were the daytime.

"Blake, please," the redhead implored gently. "Just tell me. We are still friends, are we not?"

"We are…" Blake replied, reaching over with her other hand so that they were now face to face, both sets of hands firmly clasped. "But… I was wondering if… that is, if you might feel the same…"

"Yes?" Pyrrha breathed, her heart soaring with hope as she began to suspect where the conversation was going.

"Could we be more?" Blake finally whispered anxiously. "Pyrrha, I… I feel the same for you that I do with Ruby, and… and I desperately hope that you might feel the same as well…"

The taller girl nodded slowly, a wide grin spreading across her face. "I do, kitty cat, I do feel the same…"

"Oh, thank Oum," Blake practically sobbed before mashing their lips together. They released each other's hands so that they might wrap their arms around one another as they hungrily kissed, tongues dancing alongside while hands eagerly pulled warm bodies flush together. Pyrrha reached up and threaded her hand through Blake's hair, reaching up until she could rub gently right at the base of where her bow was tied, careful not to release her Faunus ears from their concealment.

Blake let out a happy _mewl_ that was swallowed by Pyrrha's mouth, and the redhead could feel the vibrations of the Faunus girl's purr against her own chest.

They separated eventually, breathing heavily as they gazed at each other in wonderment.

"I love you, Pyrrha," the Cat Faunus murmured.

The redhead brought a hand up to gently cup the raven-haired girl's cheek. "I love you as well, Blake. And you are far braver than you give yourself credit for."

Blake gave a small laugh. "Well, I had encouragement from Ruby to help."

"What would we do without her?" Pyrrha mused humorously.

"Well," Blake sighed. "If it weren't for her, I never would have fallen so deeply in love with two amazing women."

"Nor would I have," Pyrrha admitted. "And that would have been unforgivable."

"So… girlfriends?"

"Yes, absolutely. Girlfriends."

Blake grinned and leaned in once more, placing a languid kiss against Pyrrha's lips that quickly deepened as before, the both of them pouring their love into the act.

And the only coherent thought that ran through Pyrrha's head as she clung tenderly to the other third of her heart was how incredibly complete she now felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the Purruby set is complete! Let the squees resound from the very rafters!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	27. Chapter 27

It was a rare gift of a day, a lazy weekday afternoon where the weather was perfectly comfortable, schoolwork had been caught up, and there were no duties or obligations weighing on any of the three girls, wearing their Beacon Academy uniforms and currently sprawled out on the grassy knoll bordering the Forever Fall forest.

Pyrrha lay in the middle with her hands laced behind her head, gazing up at the clouds. To her right lay her girlfriend Ruby, the brunette's head resting on her arm, and on the other side in a similar position was her other girlfriend Blake. Together they contentedly watched the clouds drift by, morphing into shapes on the gentle breeze.

"Okay, that one's definitely a Beowolf," Ruby declared.

"Nope," Blake murmured. "Still not seeing it."

"I sort of might," Pyrrha mused. "If I squint perhaps… and really use my imagination…"

"You guys," Ruby scoffed. "I can't believe you've never done this before."

Blake shrugged unconcernedly. "Not really something that came up in my childhood."

"Nor I," Pyrrha added. "But it is fun, I must admit. Even if we cannot see half of what you do."

"Okay, here, see that one?" Ruby pointed a finger up at a large bulbous cloud. "Totally an Ursa."

The other two girls peered up with skeptical expressions.

"A fluffy teddy bear Ursa?" Pyrrha eventually opined.

"With a lot of stuffing coming out of its seams," Blake deadpanned.

"Ugh!" Ruby groaned. "I give up. What about either of you, what do you see?"

"I see…" Blake said thoughtfully. "A dragon."

"Really?" Ruby asked excitedly. "Where? Where?"

The Cat Faunus raised a slender finger towards a wispy strand of cloud. "See, right there… it has two smaller clouds for wings…"

"Oh, and it's breathing fire!" Pyrrha exclaimed. "Yes, I see it too!"

"Yay!" Ruby cheered, throwing herself to the side so that she could envelop the other two girls in a one-armed hug. "Your first cloud animal!"

Blake giggled softly as Ruby rolled back, though she grabbed hold of Ruby's hand and kept it clasped atop Pyrrha's middle. With an affectionate smile, the redhead reached up and placed her hand on top of their joined ones.

"I'm glad you guys wanted to do this with me," Ruby quietly said after a few more minutes went by. "Next time we should go star gazing."

"Oh, that would be grand," Pyrrha murmured. "I haven't done that in ages."

"The rooftop of the dorm has an excellent view," Blake said shyly. "From what I remember."

Pyrrha laughed lightly. "You're speaking of the night we first kissed, aren't you?"

"Mmhmm."

Ruby grinned, giving Blake's hand a squeeze and turning her head to kiss Pyrrha's shoulder. "Sounds like a plan, then. Next date."

"Next date," the other two agreed.

They lay like that for some time, listening to the sounds of nature overlaid with the distant noise of students on the campus nearby as they took advantage of the nice weather as well.

"Alright, here's a question for you," Ruby spoke up eventually. "What would our spirit animals be?"

"Spirit animal?" Blake asked curiously. "What made you think of that?"

Ruby giggled. "I dunno. Just came to me. So, whatddya think?"

"Well, I would think mine would be obvious," Blake returned. "A cat for me."

"Not just a cat, though," Pyrrha murmured thoughtfully. "A… a panther."

"Ohhh, nice one!" Ruby chuckled. "Yep, definitely a panther. Sleek, dark, and dangerous."

Blake blushed lightly at the inference. "Oh, well… if you say so…"

"Now, what about our little rose here…" Pyrrha smiled, turning her face to kiss the top of the brunette's head, which in turn made her giggle. "Something strong…"

"Ruby is easy," Blake grinned.

"Oh, I am, am I?" Ruby said in mock outrage.

"Not like that, silly… I mean I know what yours would be. A wolf."

"Hmm, yes I can see that," Pyrrha agreed. "Strong, leader of the pack, very protective…"

"I could be a wolf," Ruby chirped. "My claw's big enough, anyways."

"True enough, true enough…" Blake murmured. "Now, for Pyrrha…"

"Perhaps a bird of some sort?" Pyrrha opined. "I've always liked birds."

"Nope," Ruby interjected. "Too flighty… All that red hair, makes me think of… I dunno… a fox maybe?"

Blake giggled as she reached over with her free hand to run her fingers through Pyrrha's long mane where it rested over her shoulder. "With a long fluffy tail."

With a gasp, Ruby sat upright. "Oh my Oum, Blakey, that's it!"

"It is?" the raven-haired girl replied, confused.

"Yep! Her nickname!"

Blake sat up as well, looking down at the perplexed redhead. "I think you may be right…"

"Wait, what?" Pyrrha broke in.

"Our fluffy red fox!" Ruby snickered.

"With her long fluffy tail!" Blake exclaimed merrily.

"I am not so sure about this…" Pyrrha objected weakly, though by this point it was to no avail.

She sighed as her girlfriends grinned down at her mischievously.

Once the two of them got something into their minds, there was just no deterring them.

And, as she was tackle-hugged by both enthusiastically once she gave her assent, she decided it wasn't really all that bad of a thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I have another series of connected chapters coming up, this one though is a four-parter. Should be fun.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	28. Chapter 28

Team RWBY sat together at the dinner table, finishing up their meal when JNPR finally made their weary appearance. Their feet were dragging as the four students collapsed into their seats, trays of food plopped in front of them.

"Rough training?" Yang asked cheerfully.

Pyrrha nodded solemnly from where she sat next to Ruby, who wrapped a sympathetic arm around the redhead's waist. "Indeed. Professor Goodwitch was rather relentless."

"And maybe," Jaune sighed. "Just… maybe, Nora, next time you could refrain from pranking Team Cardinal while we're in her class?"

The normally bubbly orange-haired girl's only response was a soft snore from where her head now rested on the edge of the table.

"It was very sweet of all of you to share in the punishment," Blake murmured, her mouth quirking in a smile.

"Well, we would not be a team if we were to let her take all the blame," Ren mentioned, slowly digging through his plate of noodles.

"It was for a good cause," Pyrrha agreed, reaching next to her to ruffle Nora's hair. Her teammate simply snored on.

"Well, unfortunately, we have to get going," Weiss interjected. "Ruby and I have a study session before I can work on my own paper."

"Yep, and I gotta go get my own workout in," Yang said as she stretched her arms over her head.

"I'll stay," Blake smiled softly. Pyrrha returned the smile before accepting a rather enthusiastic kiss from the brunette next to her. Ruby then turned to lavish equal attention on her other girlfriend.

"There," the diminutive girl said with satisfaction as she stood. "Now that'll tide me over till I'm done."

Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes, though she had a tiny smile on her face. "Come on, Ruby. Let's get this over with."

"Lead on, partner!"

Once the other members of her team had departed, Blake slid over a seat and leaned in to rest her head on Pyrrha's shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" the Cat Faunus murmured.

"Oh, well enough," Pyrrha replied, placing a kiss on the top of her head just in front of her bow. "Sore, but nothing I haven't experienced before."

"Mmm." Blake ran her hand along Pyrrha's spine gently. "Would you… like a massage later?"

The redhead blushed lightly. "Er… that would be lovely, thank you."

Jaune shook his head from across the table. "Nora was right. The two of you are absolutely adorable."

Ren nodded with a small grin. "Just as much as with Ruby."

Blake and Pyrrha just grinned back while holding hands under the table. Pyrrha finished up her meal quickly enough and made her excuses to her team so that she could return to their dorm.

They separated at the doorways of their respective team's rooms long enough for them to slip inside and change into their nightwear. Blake quickly opened her door at the knock that came soon thereafter and let her girlfriend inside.

"Stretch out on my bed," the raven-haired girl instructed. "Where is it the most sore?"

Pyrrha obediently laid out stomach-down on top of the covers, her head pillowed on her folded arms. "Mostly in between my shoulder blades," she admitted softly. "Though my legs hurt a little as well. Pretty much had us running in circles."

"Poor thing," Blake laughed lightly as she crawled onto the bed. She carefully straddled Pyrrha's waist. "Is… this okay?"

"Mmhmm," Pyrrha murmured, her face a bright scarlet to match her nightshirt.

The raven-haired girl cleared her throat, cognizant of their intimate position but finding that she rather enjoyed the situation. _Not that I'm about to admit to it…_

She slowly pressed down on the center of Pyrrha's back along the sides of her spine, kneading her fingers in and working her way up in between her shoulder blades. The redhead began to make some very interesting noises of pleasure. Now it was Blake's turn to blush as her mind began to wander somewhat.

_No, no… focus on the here and now, don't start getting distracted…_

Of course, the helpless little moans coming from under her were not helping in the slightest.

When she heard the door lock disengage, she almost leapt off of her girlfriend but restrained herself even as she felt Pyrrha tense up.

Fortunately, it was Ruby by herself. The brunette let out a happy little squeal when she saw her girlfriends.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you Blakey! Hey, you want any help?"

"Well, Pyrrha did mention her legs were sore as well…"

"Awesome, lemme get my pajamas on!"

In a flash of rose petals, Ruby had grabbed her nightclothes, darted into the bathroom, changed, and was crouched on the edge of the bed, grinning widely, all within the span of a couple of heartbeats.

"Show-off," Pyrrha laughed quietly.

"I hadta get back to my cute girlfriends," Ruby giggled, leaning over to place a kiss on Pyrrha's lips. She then sat up to hug Blake and place a quick kiss on the raven-haired girl's neck. "You havin' fun?" she whispered with a knowing smirk.

Blake blushed once more but just nodded with a shy smile.

Giggling, Ruby moved behind her and sat next to Pyrrha's legs, starting to work on her left one first. Pyrrha let out another moan, louder this time and one that made something clench way down in Blake's abdomen.

_Gods, she keeps making those noises and it's beginning to drive me crazy…_

"Damn, Pyrrha," Ruby snickered. "Tell us how you really feel!"

"I am sorry," Pyrrha exclaimed. "I just- ooohhhh…"

Ruby giggled once more as she dug her fingers into Pyrrha's calf muscles, and Blake began working higher up in between her shoulder blades. The redhead left off any further attempt at conversation as she both visibly and audibly melted in pleasure at the attention.

"Hey, Blakey," Ruby whispered just at the edge of her Faunus hearing. "Is this turning you on as much as it is me?"

Blake let out a strangled snort, giving Ruby an incredulous glare over her shoulder as her cheeks heated up once more.

"Yep," Ruby giggled quietly. "Thought so."

"You are worse than your sister sometimes, you know that?" she hissed back, though unable to keep the grin off of her face.

"Too true," the brunette sang out, moving over to the other leg. "Too true."

Blake just shook her head ruefully. Ever so gradually she was uncovering a part of Ruby that nobody else had seen previously, a devious little individual who was rather curious about pushing the physical boundaries of their relationship. Not that she herself would mind, really, it just always came as a shock to her when the innocent-sounding petite brunette would make a sly comment that elicited fierce blushes from her girlfriends.

_I certainly don't want to advance things faster than the others do, especially Pyrrha. But it's nice to know I'm not the only one who does dwell upon these things…_

"So, I was thinkin'," Ruby spoke up, interrupting her thoughts. She sat up and across Pyrrha's legs so that she was pressed up against Blake's back, her small but strong arms wrapped around her middle.

Blake swallowed at the contact. "Yes?" she prompted breathlessly, sitting up and into the embrace.

"Well, we have this three-day weekend coming up," Ruby began, though from the humor in her voice she must have been well aware of the effect she was having on Blake.

_That little tease…_

"We do indeed," Pyrrha murmured, peering up behind her at the two of them. "Er… did you want to move off so that I may turn around?"

Ruby smirked widely. "What, you don't want two women riding you?"

"Ruby!" they both exclaimed, blushing once more.

The brunette in question buried her head in Blake's back as peals of tinkling laughter issued forth from her lips. "Oh, I'm sorry," she gasped. "That was too perfect a setup…"

"And I reiterate," Blake sighed humorously. "You're beginning to take after your sister."

Ruby just snickered and rolled to the side, bringing Blake along with her. The Cat Faunus let out a quiet yelp as she was dragged down, still locked within her girlfriend's embrace.

Pyrrha moved onto her side as well so that she was facing them, a bright smile on her face. "Finally," the redhead murmured. "I can show proper appreciation for my lovely massage…"

She pressed her body into Blake's and sealed their lips together. The raven-haired girl began to make pleased sounds of her own, increased by the sensations of Ruby's calloused fingers rubbing along her arms and sides from behind her.

_Those lovely little roughened fingers, so strong… it's no wonder Pyrrha was making those noises… Hmm, I wonder if I can get her to rub me… No, no, stop that Belladonna, behave…_

Behaving was becoming rather difficult to do with the small circles Ruby was making on her sides, along her ribcage and lightly brushing up against the underside of her breasts where they pressed against Pyrrha. She gave a gasp as she broke the contact of the kiss, breathing heavily and with her eyes closed as she tried to regain control.

"You were saying…" she panted, her voice a bit more higher-pitched than usual. "Something… about the weekend…?"

"Mmm, yes, weekend," Ruby murmured, planting a kiss on Blake's shoulder from behind. "So, here's what I was thinking… You remember how we had that talk awhile back, where we all said none of us had gotten drunk before?"

Blake turned her head to level her gaze on the brunette's. "Ruby," she admonished. "We are _not_ going on a three-day drinking binge."

"Just hear me out," the brunette scoffed. "Here's what I had in mind. Each night, one of us drinks enough to get drunk, but with the other two there to take care of them. Just so's we can say we know what it's like."

Pyrrha nodded slowly as she ran her hand along Blake's arm. "Well… I suppose the idea has some merit. If we were to do so, at least it would be in a safe environment."

"And we'd be here, in the room?" Blake asked.

"Yep," Ruby answered.

"What about Yang and Weiss?"

"Well, I suppose they can hang around. I'm sure they'd enjoy watching us. But, we could make sure everyone's scrolls were in a drawer or something, so no vids."

Blake looked at Pyrrha thoughtfully. "And… you'd be okay with this?"

The redhead shrugged. "Truthfully, I am a mite curious to know what we are like when impaired in such a manner."

She glanced back over her shoulder again and into silver eyes that were twinkling merrily. "And you'd behave yourself?" Blake smirked.

"Ha!" Ruby snorted in mock outrage. "As if I'd need to get either of you drunk to have my way with you."

Pyrrha laughed lightly. "She's not wrong."

"True enough," Blake giggled. "Alright then. Let's do it."

Ruby snickered as she crawled over to plant a kiss first on Pyrrha and then Blake. "This is gonna be fun," she said with a wide grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Blake and Pyrrha, you should know better… the disaster potential for this endeavor is quite high. And frisky Ruby is getting a mite friskier, eh? So, as some may question the legality of drinking ages on Remnant, I've made the assumption before in my other fics that they are far less Puritan than here in the US when it comes to such things and more like other (more) civilized countries. So, yes, they can all legally drink. Ruby, perhaps not, dunno how I feel about that as I've never written her drinking before. But it's going to be done privately and in the safety of their own room, so… we'll just sweep the morality of this under the carpet for now. I tend to do that with my chores anyways, it'll have plenty of company under there.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	29. Chapter 29

Friday night came around, and the three of them were ready to go. They sat in a circle in the middle of Team RWBY's room, Pyrrha, Ruby, and Blake, while the latter drank down her second tumbler of whiskey. They had agreed on Blake going first, then Pyrrha the next night, and finally Ruby on the last evening.

"Why was it again I'm going first?" the Cat Faunus asked.

"Because you volunteered, kitty cat," Ruby grinned, taking a sip from her cup of water.

"Hmm. I don't remember this."

Pyrrha leaned over and placed her hand on Blake's knee. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked, her emerald eyes shining with concern.

"Umm… not too bad, really." Blake peered about, her amber eyes only ever so slightly unfocused. "A little fuzzy, but… yeah, nothing else seems amiss."

"Congrats, kitten," Yang laughed from where she perched atop her bunk. "You got yourself a buzz."

"Huh, so this is a buzz…" Blake frowned slightly. "Oh… and stop calling me kitten."

The blonde just snorted out a laugh. "Okay, so that's after two drinks. I think one more might do it, but let her drink some water first."

"Yes, oh expert of drunkenness," Pyrrha snarked, plucking Blake's now-empty tumbler from her hand and giving her a glass of water instead.

Blake dutifully drank it down as she gazed over towards the other side of the room. "We're not going to be disturbing you, are we, Weiss?" she asked once finished.

"Not at all," the heiress replied primly over the top of her textbook. "I expect to be highly entertained over the course of the weekend. Wouldn't miss it for anything."

Pyrrha handed Blake her third tumbler. "I do find your choice of drink interesting," the redhead murmured.

Shrugging casually, Blake let out a little giggle. "I like whiskey," she said before tossing back another gulp. "Packs a kick, though," she wheezed.

"That it does, kitten," Yang snickered. "Especially the kind you're drinkin'. That's the good stuff."

Blake nodded solemnly as she downed the rest of her glass. "Yep. That it is." She narrowed her amber eyes up at the blonde bruiser. "Hey, didn't I say something about calling me that?"

"What?"

"That."

"You mean… kitten?"

"Yep. What did I say?"

"To keep calling you it?" Yang smirked.

"Oh." Blake blinked her eyes owlishly. "Well. Okay, then."

"Annnd there she goes," Yang chuckled.

"So… how do you feel now?" Pyrrha inquired.

"I feel… really, really good." Blake gave her a wide smile. "Like… really good."

Ruby giggled merrily. "How good is really good?"

Blake answered with a giggle of her own. "Really, really good."

"Anything on your mind?" the brunette asked with a grin.

The Cat Faunus tilted her head thoughtfully, the ears atop her head twitching. "Hmmm…. yep."

"And?" Ruby prompted with a laugh.

"You know what I really like?" Blake mused in response.

"What would that be, kitty cat?" Pyrrha inquired softly.

Blake looked around with a pleased smile. "Boobs."

All of the other four girls barked out a laugh, some more shocked than others, though Yang had to catch herself from falling out of her bunk.

"You don't say?" Ruby giggled.

Blake nodded solemnly. "Yep. 'S why I like girls better'n boys. 'Cause of the boobs. And wanna know what else?"

"Oh, do tell."

The Cat Faunus leaned over and continued in a loud whisper. "Pyrrha has really, really nice boobs."

Both Ruby and Yang lost it at that point, rolling around in helpless laughter, while Pyrrha covered her face and blushed furiously, though she couldn't help but laugh as well.

"Says the girl with the fabulous rear end," the redhead muttered under her breath.

"Heard that," Ruby giggled. It shouldn't have been possible for Pyrrha to blush any brighter, but still, she managed admirably.

"Well," Weiss sighed humorously. "I suppose now we see the authentic side of Blake."

"Oh, hey, don't feel bad Weissy," Blake interjected. "Yours are nice too, all small an' perky…"

Now it was Weiss' turn to blush as she held up her textbook in front of her face. "Er… thank you?" she squeaked over Yang's increased volume of laughter.

"An' I'm gonna bet that yer crush would like 'em too," the raven-haired girl continued. "Anyone would, so don' you worry 'bout it."

"Wait, wait, wait," Ruby exclaimed, sitting herself up with some difficulty. "What's this now about a crush?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Weiss mumbled, still shielding her face.

Blake nodded again, swaying slightly where she sat cross-legged. "She didn' tell me whose it... who it was. So I dunno that."

"Yep, kept me in the dark for that too," Yang chimed in, wiping tears of mirth from her cheeks.

"So everyone else knows about this?" Ruby exclaimed. "Weiss, I'm hurt!"

"Too many people already know," Weiss defended herself with muffled words.

"What about you, Pyrrha?" the brunette asked while Blake stared up at the ceiling with a wide grin.

"Oh, well… er, yes, I do know… about it…" the redhead murmured abashedly.

"Waitaminute…" Ruby crouched forward, peering into her girlfriend's emerald orbs. "You know the name, don't you?"

"...No?" she replied halfheartedly.

Weiss sat her book down with a huff. "Pyrrha, you promised!"

"I am not saying anything!" Pyrrha protested. "My lips are sealed!"

"Oh, we have ways of making you talk…" Yang snickered, leaning over the edge of the bunk.

"No, Yang, it's okay," Ruby interjected with a smile as she sat back again. "We shouldn't pressure Pyrrha."

"Softie," Yang snorted.

"Hey, Yang," Blake giggled.

The blonde grinned at her partner, her humor restored. "What's up, kitten?"

"You… got really big boobs."

Yang barked out a laugh. "Glad to see you stayed focused here. So mine are better'n Pyrrha's, right?"

"Nope," Blake intoned. "Just… bigger. I like Pyrrha's better."

"Uh-huh," Yang replied, perplexed, as she looked down at her chest. "Well, that's a first."

"Yeah, see with Pyrrha's I bet I could just wrap my hand around-"

"That isn't necessary to test!" Pyrrha exclaimed with another bright blush as Blake began to lean her way with her hands extended. The redhead crossed her arms against her chest. "Not in front of Yang and Weiss, please!"

"Oho!" Yang chortled. "So, it'd be okay if we _weren't_ here?"

"I- I- I-" the redhead stammered anxiously.

"I bet Ruby'd let me," Blake mumbled, falling over on her side and peering blearily back at the brunette.

"Nah, I promised to behave," Ruby giggled. "So you like my boobs too?"

"Okay, now this part I don't need to hear about," Yang grumbled mildly.

"They're nice," Blake agreed, ignoring her partner. "Buuut not your best part."

"Oh, well then, what's my best part, kitty cat?" Ruby asked, her silver eyes twinkling.

Blake struggled to sit upright once more, eventually succeeding with the help of both of her girlfriends. She leaned over to poke a finger in Ruby's cheek.

"That lil' smirk you get," Blake murmured wondrously. "The one… The one where you're up to somethin' naughty, or you're gonna say somethin' to get me or Pyrrha to blush."

Ruby graced her with said little smirk, which caused the Faunus to squeal softly.

"Yep, that's the one!" Blake declared happily. "Dust-damned sexy, that lil' smirk."

"Well, I'll keep that in mind," Ruby quietly laughed.

"You do not need further ammunition," Pyrrha moaned.

Blake turned at the redhead's voice and crawled over to her, her movements sinuous if a little uncoordinated. Pyrrha's eyes got wider as her girlfriend approached, evidently seeing something in her eyes that reminded her of how a prey feels.

"Yer… my fluffy lil' fox," Blake murmured as she bonelessly poured herself into Pyrrha's lap. "An' kitty wants to play with her fox."

Pyrrha wrapped her arms around the tipsy girl as she locked her lips onto her own, pleased little sounds escaping from them both. Blake broke off after a minute and sighed dreamily.

"Okay, I'm good now. Gonna sleep, 'k?"

"You do that, kitty cat," Pyrrha murmured affectionately as she stood up with Blake in her arms. She moved over to her bed and got into it, tucking Blake in front of her on her side.

Ruby got up as well, giving the both of them kisses, though Blake only returned it half-heartedly as she was close to asleep already, tucking the two of them in, and then moved to pick up the glasses from the floor.

Yang hopped off of her bed. "Whelp, I suppose we could all turn in, you okay with that, Princess?"

Weiss nodded as she put her book away. "Fine by me. I can't wait to see how tomorrow night's entertainment goes."

The petite brunette sat the glasses atop her desk and then pulled her drawer open, fishing out everyone's scrolls before following Yang into the bathroom.

"Can't believe you wouldn't let me ask Pyrrha about that crush of Weiss'," the blonde mumbled as she brushed her teeth.

Ruby rinsed her toothpaste out before chuckling quietly. "Are you forgetting, sister of mine, whose turn it is to get drunk tomorrow night?"

Yang spat into the sink and turned to her little sister with an awestruck look on her face. "How have you become so diabolical?" she gaped.

"Well," the brunette shrugged. "I do have you for an older sister."

The blonde pulled her into a tight hug. "And I am humbled by your success," she said solemnly.

"Yang… air… breathe…" Ruby gasped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I don't think Blake's gonna live that down anytime soon… Tune in next chapter to see just how loose-lipped Pyrrha ends up. All shall be revealed! (Not like that, stop it. I have A Thorny Bind for that kinda stuff.)
> 
> Stay shiny!


	30. Chapter 30

"Alright, then," Ruby announced. "Are we ready to begin?"

Blake sighed, still unable to meet any of their gazes. "I suppose so."

"Oh, come on, kitten, you weren't all that bad," Yang snickered. Tonight she'd elected to sit on Blake's bed so as to be closer to the action.

"I am so embarrassed," the Cat Faunus muttered. "And please stop calling me kitten."

Pyrrha leaned over to give her a one-armed reassuring hug. "At least you did not have a hangover this morning!" the redhead commented.

"No, but I definitely wish I didn't remember every single detail," Blake sighed again morosely.

"Well, I for one am willing to forget certain parts from last evening," Weiss interjected demurely.

"Er, thank you, Weiss," Blake blushed.

Yang snickered once more. "Heh. Perky."

"Yang, I swear to Oum, I will freeze your bra drawer solid."

"Them's fightin' words, Princess…"

"Alright, you two," Ruby interrupted. "We're trying to have a drink here. Settle down."

"Yes, ma'am," her blonde sister snarked. Weiss merely let out a huff and returned to her textbook once more.

Pyrrha lifted her glass of wine. "Cheers," she said softly as she took a long drink.

"You know, it's gonna take you forever with just wine," Yang mentioned.

"Well, unfortunately, I do not like most alcoholic drinks," the redhead replied loftily.

"It's okay, Pyrrha," Ruby smiled. "Not like we've got anywhere to be, right?"

* * *

By around the twelfth glass of wine, the others began to realize that it was rather difficult to tell when Pyrrha had actually become drunk.

"But if you think about it," the redhead mused, holding her half-empty glass up to the light. "Baby Grimm shouldn't even exist, right? The young are innocent, hence uncorrupted, hence they cannot be Grimm." She sighed morosely. "It is a conundrum."

Ruby and Blake were smiling affectionately at their girlfriend, while Yang and Weiss just stared, enraptured.

"She's like a drunken philosopher," the blonde murmured.

"Without making a lick of sense," the heiress added.

"Now, if you also think about it, we should be studying babies," Pyrrha continued, taking another delicate sip of her wine before giggling. "Besides the fact that they're awfully cute. Nora showed me a vid once of a bucketful of baby sloths. Cutest thing I've ever seen. Well," she amended with another giggle. "Aside from the two of you. I do not think there is a thing on Remnant that can compare to how cute you both are."

"Aww," Ruby grinned. "You're so sweet."

"I _am_ sweet," Pyrrha declared earnestly. "I'm a… a sweet, fluffy red fox."

Blake snickered behind her hand. "Yes, love, yes you are."

"So, Pyrrha," Ruby said, leaning in conspiratorially. "Now that you're drunk, you know the secrets to the universe now, right?"

Her redheaded girlfriend blinked at her in surprise. "You're right, I do!"

"Sooo… you know who Weiss has a crush on, then?"

Startled, Weiss had just opened her mouth to protest at the underhanded tactic when Pyrrha grinned widely.

"Yep, Velvet! Oh," she leaned in as well, almost bumping into Ruby's forehead. "It's a secret," she whispered. "So pretend I didn't tell you."

"It never happened," Ruby whispered back, her silver eyes twinkling.

"I cannot believe you," Weiss grumbled in consternation. "I suppose this will be the talk of the school now?"

"Of course not, Weiss," Blake reassured her. "We are your friends and your teammates. It won't leave this room."

Three sets of eyes focused on Yang, while another emerald green pair seemed to take an inordinate amount of interest in a spot on the carpet next to her.

"Yang?" Ruby demanded.

"Yeah, sure, won't breathe a word about it," the blonde replied breezily.

"Yang."

"I said I won't, okay? Sheesh. You gots my word."

"Thank you, Yang," Weiss murmured, her eyes downcast.

Pyrrha crouched down over the offending spot. "What if spots are a carpet's only means of individuality?" she mused. "Are we destroying their chances at happiness by cleaning them?"

"I think the carpet will be fine, sweetie," Ruby giggled.

"If you say so…" Pyrrha sat back up, swaying slightly. "Where'd my drink go?"

"It's in your hand, Pyrrha."

"Oh. How about that." The redhead lifted it up to the light and examined it once more. "Why does wine only come in the colors it comes in? We should have blue wine. Or green. Oh, purple would be lovely."

Blake snickered softly as she scooted over to wrap an arm around her tipsy girlfriend. "I think wine is already kinda purple, love."

"Oh, you're right." Pyrrha sat her glass down next to her before turning to face the Cat Faunus, her green eyes wide and intent. "You know, you are really quite beautiful, Blake."

"Er, thank you," she replied, blushing.

"I mean, seriously. Extraordinarily gorgeous. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that." She turned her gaze to Ruby next. "I've always thought you were adorable, Ruby. But you are also quite beautiful."

"Thanks, sweetie!" Ruby chirped happily.

"And one more thing…" Pyrrha turned back to Blake, searching her eyes as if trying to plumb the depths of her soul.

"What is it, Pyrrha?" Blake prompted softly after a minute had passed.

"Hmm?"

"What was the one more thing?"

"Oh," Pyrrha breathed. "I haven't the faintest idea." With that, she threw her arms around Blake's neck and dragged her down to the floor, devouring her mouth eagerly.

Needless to say, Blake was rather enthusiastic about returning the affection.

Ruby watched them fondly, while Weiss stared at the pair with wide eyes. "Er… they're making out."

"Yep," Ruby replied softly.

"I just… wasn't expecting that."

"Well, they do tend to do so. At least," Ruby shot her a grin, "when I'm not doing the same."

"I… see." Weiss shook her head. "And it just doesn't bother you at all?"

"Are you kidding me?" Ruby laughed. "This is the hottest thing ever!"

"Ruby!" both Weiss and Yang exclaimed, causing her to fall over, giggling madly.

Eventually, the pair engaged on the floor stopped their exuberant passion, and Blake tried to slide Pyrrha to the side. "I think she just passed on on me," the Cat Faunus complained.

The others were no help whatsoever after that as they all collapsed further in laughter.

"Seriously, I can't move. Ruby? Sweetie, please help me…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Weiss' crush is revealed! I actually did see a couple of guesses for Velvet, so congrats for that. Subtle props to Shadow Nightblade for their White Rabbit of Vale story, best Weiss x Velvet ship I've come across. I'm a sucker for odd pairings. Also the bucketful of baby sloths is a nod to John Oliver. Made me immediately think of Nora when I saw it.
> 
> I think Pyrrha would be hilarious to get drunk with. Actually, plop drunk Pyrrha and drunk Ren next to each other, and the vast secrets of the universe would be unraveled.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	31. Chapter 31

"So, what is this stuff?" Ruby asked curiously, holding up her glass of blue-colored liquid.

"Well," Yang explained. "It's fruit punch but spiked with grain alcohol. I know you don't like any liquor you've tried, so this should work, pretty much tasteless but will still pack a punch."

Ruby nodded. "Okay, then. Bottoms up!"

The diminutive girl upended the glass, much to Yang's consternation. "Wait, Rubes, you're supposed to drink it slower than that!"

The brunette sat her glass down on the carpet next to her. "Why?"

"Well, it's pretty strong, I don't want you drinking too much, okay?"

Pyrrha peered at her girlfriend anxiously. "Are you alright?"

"Yep, fine!" Ruby assured her. "Actually tasted pretty good!"

"So…" Blake murmured, glancing at Yang who looked somewhat dumbfounded. "Exactly how much was in that glass?"

Yang furrowed her brow. "Um… about as much as it took to get you drunk, Blakey."

The Cat Faunus blinked her eyes uncertainly before turning her gaze towards the diminutive girl sitting next to her. "You're going to have more of a tolerance that I do, aren't you?" she asked accusingly.

Ruby shrugged. "I dunno. Not like I've ever tried this before."

Yang sighed and poured another glass of the vibrant blue liquid. "Try drinking this one slower."

"Okay, Yang." The brunette obediently drank the new glass at a somewhat more languid pace, looking around at the other four sets of eyes who watched her avidly. "Making me a little self-conscious, here," she giggled eventually.

"Sorry," Pyrrha chuckled. "Should we perhaps play a game this time?"

"Yeah, good idea Pyrrha!" Yang exclaimed. "I got a deck of cards here, we can all play some games. C'mon, Weissy, join in."

"Pass," the heiress replied shortly.

"Weiss, you have been studying from that same textbook every night," Blake admonished her teammate gently. "Take a break and have some fun."

The slender white-haired girl sighed. "Very well."

The five of them, all clad in their nightclothes already, played a variety of games, some involving skill and others random chance. All the while, Yang kept a careful eye on her little sister as she slowly imbibed several glasses of the sugary spiked drink. After the sixth glass, Yang took the empty cup away from her.

"Alright, Rubes, that's enough. I dunno how you're doing it, but that's officially twice as much as it'd take to get me drunk."

"But she looks fine still!" Blake exclaimed somewhat cautiously. "She even won the last hand!"

Ruby just shrugged with a small smile. "Sorry, guys, guess you don't get to see me drunk after all."

"Well, still," Pyrrha interjected. "We'd rather you be safe and follow Yang's instructions."

"Oh, no doubt," Blake hastened to agree. "I just… I don't get it."

"Perhaps it's due to her higher metabolism?" Weiss mused thoughtfully. "Or her semblance?"

"Whelp, you got me," Ruby sighed, gathering her feet under her. "But I drank so much I gotta pee now. 'Scuse me."

With that, she pulled herself upright… and promptly fell onto her face.

"Ow," the brunette moaned softly.

"Ruby!" Both Blake and Pyrrha scrambled over to help her back up again.

"Huh," Yang mused, tapping a forefinger in her chin. "Guess it worked a little more subtly than I figured."

Ruby stood in between her girlfriends, swaying slightly. "Um… I still gotta pee. Buuut I think I need some help."

Emerald green eyes met amber ones questioningly, but Yang spoke up first.

"I got this, girls, lemme at least feel useful here…"

The blonde led her inebriated sister to the toilet while Blake and Pyrrha sat down on the edge of the bed they shared.

"We could have done that," Blake grumbled quietly.

"No doubt," Pyrrha murmured confidently. "Still, it was nice for Yang to offer."

"Yes, we wouldn't want to tread on her feelings."

"Indeed, she has been admirably… accepting of our relationship. It is the least we can do."

They nodded to each other in agreement while Weiss sat back on her bed, smirking at the pair and shaking her head wordlessly.

Eventually, they heard the toilet flush, and Ruby shambled back in, looking about somewhat bewilderingly as Yang carefully led her by the arm.

The blonde towed her sister over to stand in front of her girlfriends.

"Hey, Pyrrha?" Ruby asked quietly.

"Yes, little rose?"

"C'n you lie back?"

"Er, certainly…" Pyrrha shuffled herself back towards the wall, lying down with her head on the pillow. Ruby let out a small grunt as she clumsily crawled forward to end up with her back against the redhead's chest.

"Mmkay," the brunette mumbled. "Now I need a Blakey blanket."

Snickering softly, the Cat Faunus complied, tugging the covers up and over them as she slid in. Ruby let out a happy little sigh as she draped her arms over the raven-haired girl.

And then proceeded to cup her small palms around her breasts.

Blake let out a startled yelp as she quickly dragged her girlfriend's hands down to her waist, while Yang clutched her sides trying to contain her laughter. Ruby's only reaction was a sleepy little smirk.

"So…" Yang finally wheezed. "We now know Ruby's a sleepy drunk. And handles her alcohol even better'n me."

"Also a very grabby drunk," Blake muttered, pulling the brunette's hands down once more while blushing furiously. "This is revenge for all the boob comments when I was drunk, isn't it?"

"Would you like some privacy, kitten?"

"Yes, Yang, yes we would. If you're all quite ready for bed, please turn off the lights." Blake sighed as her girlfriend's movement's got more lethargic. "And for the love of Oum, please stop calling me kitten."

"I think she's finally drifted off," Pyrrha murmured after a few moments.

"Not yet," Ruby mumbled sleepily.

"Ruby, sweetie," Blake sighed affectionately, turning her head to the side. "Go to sleep."

"Can't."

"Whyever not?"

"Didn't get kisses yet."

Chuckling, Pyrrha leaned over first to give the brunette a warm, long kiss, followed by Blake who did the same. Before she turned back around, she made sure she captured her redheaded girlfriend's lips as well.

"'K," Ruby finally breathed. "All good. 'Night. Love you guys."

"Good night, little rose," Blake whispered. "And good night, fluffy fox. Love you both."

"I love you both as well, kitty cat and little rose," Pyrrha whispered back.

"Oh my Oum will you three shut up and sleep already," Weiss groaned from her bed. "You're making my teeth ache over here."

Giggling, the threesome settled down finally, securely wrapped around each other and with contented smiles.

After perhaps fifteen minutes had gone by, Blake cracked an eye open, peering around the darkened room to make sure everyone was asleep. She'd already ascertained her girlfriends were out by their breathing.

Ever so stealthily, she brought Ruby's hand back up to cup her breast and held it in place as she closed her eyes one more, purring softly as she drifted off to sleep.

Unnoticed, another small smirk formed on Ruby's face, though she didn't move otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frisky Ruby is now matched by frisky Blake. Frisky fluff is frisky. And fun.
> 
> It's funny how many reviewers nailed the idea that Ruby would have a higher tolerance due to her metabolism. So, yeah, she'd likely drink just about anybody under the table. So long as she could stomach the taste.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	32. Chapter 32

"Okay, Princess…" Yang began with a gleam in her lilac eyes. "Which will it be? Choose carefully, as it may be your last one this evening…"

"Oh, please, as if you scare me," the heiress scoffed. "I choose… Truth."

The combined teams of RWBY and JNPR, at both Yang and Nora's urging, were grouped together in RWBY's dorm room on a Saturday afternoon for a friendly game of Truth or Dare. All had been roped into the activity, whether through bribery of sweets or threats of proclamations of cowardice.

The boisterous blonde had, of course, taken the first go.

"Alright then," Yang grinned mischievously. "Without naming any names, both because I promised and also because you're my friend…"

"Thank you," Weiss murmured, though her ice-blue eyes were somewhat wary.

"Tell us when you are going to ask your crush out on a date!"

"Yang…" Blake sighed.

"No, it's a good question!" Yang defended herself. "I just wanna know when she's gonna woman up already!"

Ruby opened her mouth to object as well, but she was beaten to it by Weiss' soft voice.

"I already did."

"You… Wait, what?" Yang looked at her incredulously.

The heiress was sitting on the edge of her bed, gazing down at the floor. "Last night, we went out."

"You do not sound very enthusiastic about this, Weiss," Pyrrha murmured from her perch alongside Ruby and Blake on the latter's bed. "Are you alright?"

"I… Yes, I am fine. We went out, it was incredibly awkward for the both of us, and there was zero chemistry. End of story. May we move on, please?"

Ruby wordlessly moved over to sit next to her partner and wrapped a comforting arm around her. The slightly smaller white-haired girl leaned marginally against the brunette.

"Yeah, we can move on, Weissy. Sorry." Yang sighed somewhat despondently. "We'll talk later, okay?"

Weiss nodded and then looked up. "Very well. Blake?"

"Hmm." The Cat Faunus returned her teammate's gaze, considering which would be safer. "I shall go with Truth as well."

Weiss gave her a little smirk. "Have you had sex yet with Ruby or Pyrrha?"

Ruby gasped and jumped off of her partner's bed. "Just for that, you lose snuggle privileges!" the brunette exclaimed before stalking back over to sit next to Blake.

Both Nora and Yang were laughing merrily, though, and gave each other a high-five. "Oh, nice one, Weiss!" the orange-haired girl cheered.

Blushing brightly, Blake twisted her hands in her lap. "No," she murmured tersely.

The turns went around the room, as a person could not direct a question back on the one who had just asked them. Finally, after having to run up and down the hall in only her bra, Nora breathlessly plopped back down on the floor. "Okay, my turn!"

"Nora, please put your shirt back on," Ren sighed.

"Spoilsport. Fine." Her voice was slightly muffled as she pulled her clothing on. "Okay, so I call triple play!"

"A what now?" Jaune asked curiously.

"Triple play! I get to ask a question, and three people must all answer the same one!"

"Oh, my, I wonder to whom this is directed towards," Blake murmured sarcastically.

"And just what do we get in return?" Pyrrha asked intently.

"Hmm…" Nora stroked her chin thoughtfully. "You may all come up with a Dare that I have to do, no matter what!"

"No matter what?" Ruby smirked.

"Yep! Do you accept the terms?"

The three girlfriends glanced at each other and quickly came to a consensus.

"Alright, Nora, but be forewarned our Dare will depend on your question," Pyrrha declared.

Nora rubbed her hands together maniacally, giggling to herself.

"Yeah, _this_ is gonna end well," Yang chuckled.

The orange-haired girl leapt back to her feet and extended a finger, pointing to each girl in turn. "Pyrrha Nikos, Blake Belladonna, and Ruby Rose! The question you must individually answer is this!" She planted her hands on her hips and smirked widely. "Would you go all the way with your girlfriends, or would you just fool around up to that point?"

There was a shocked silence, broken only by a small " _eep_ " from Pyrrha.

Blushing just as furiously as the others, Blake cleared her throat. "I'll go first," she said firmly. "Yes, I would have sex with them."

"Damn, Blakey," her blonde partner chuckled. "Way to take the forefront there!"

Nora, still smirking widely, raised a challenging eyebrow. "Ruby?"

The brunette had raised the hood of her cloak up over her face to conceal her matching red face. "Yes," she squeaked out.

"Was that a 'yes I'd fool around', or…" Nora prompted humorously.

"YES I WANNA HAVE SEX WITH THEM!"

The others snickered at Ruby's defiant response, though she still kept her hood up. Yang, however, had a blush to match, though she still wore a rueful grin as she shook her head resignedly.

"Very well." Nora shifted over to nail Pyrrha with her intense turquoise gaze. "Pyrrha?"

"I…" The tall redhead tugged nervously at the hem of her skirt. "I don't know."

"You don't?" Blake murmured curiously.

"I- I- I-" Pyrrha stammered helplessly, throwing her hands up in the air only to let them drop back into her lap once more. "I would not be opposed to… er… fooling around. I am not sure about… anything else. Yet. Perhaps in the future yes, but… not yet."

Nora looked as if she might press the matter further, but by now Ruby had slipped her hood back off, her face filled with determination.

"She answered your question, Nora. Now it's our turn."

"Oh, very well. Do your worst."

The three girls, brunette, raven-haired, and redhead, put their heads together, whispering furiously. After only a short amount of time, they separated, all three wearing identical smirks.

"Alright Nora," Pyrrha began. "We have a Dare for you."

"We want you," Blake continued, "to kiss Ren."

"And not just a quickie, either," Ruby finished with a mischievous twinkle in her silver eyes. "At least a full minute, and we wanna see some tongue."

The others in the room gaped at the trio incredulously.

"Wait, what?" Ren asked, perplexed.

In fact, the only one who seemed to take it all in stride was Nora.

"Whelp, sorry Ren, them's the rules," the pinkette smirked before tackling her partner to the ground.

"Mmm, good form," Blake murmured appreciatively.

"Definitely seein' some tongue there," Ruby noted with a grin.

Pyrrha giggled quietly. "Is anyone keeping track of the time?"

"Nah," the brunette answered. "It's about time this finally happened, just let 'em go."

"So is that the game, then?" Yang chuckled.

"I suppose. Unless you wanna sit by while I make out with Blake and Pyrrha?"

"Nope, nope, nope. I'm good." Yang sprang to her feet and headed towards the door, grabbing her workout bag on the way out. "See ya."

"I must say, that was the shortest game of Truth or Dare we've ever played," Weiss commented, grabbing her books. "I'll be in the library."

"Yeah…" Jaune murmured, getting to his feet as well. "I'm gonna go get some studying in too. Can I join you, Weiss?"

"Certainly."

Left alone with the new couple, still engaged in their rather intense makeout session, Blake let out a soft sigh. "So, what do you guys feel like doing?"

"Well," Ruby smirked. "Pyrrha's room is empty now."

The three of them shared eager grins as they leapt from the bed and hurried out the door, careful to close it behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, that was the shortest ship ever. Sank right outta port, sorry White Rabbit fans. (Special apologies to Gorsouul.) I got other plans for Weiss, have no fear. (Wait, what was that? Did I hear cries of joy from Freezerburn shippers? Hmm…) And hey, at least we have Renora, which is the first time I've actually written that into a story. Go, me.
> 
> I do want to take a moment and address the use of 'kitten' by Yang, per prompting by TacoKing23. I write the blonde as a deeply caring person who shows her love by teasing, and she does indeed care for her partner deeply, like another sister if you will. So the 'kitten' is just her way of ribbing Blake in a non-mean-spirited way, showing her acceptance of her Faunus heritage and her as a person. Blake knows this, and her protests are rudimentary and part of the banter, else she would truly get irritated, or at the very least both Ruby and Pyrrha would speak up. Initially, I brought it in as a running gag, but it's grown on me as symbolic of Blake and Yang's sisterly relationship. See, even for fluff, there can be deeper meaning. So long as it's fluffy.
> 
> In any case - much love for keeping up with my fluffy little crack ship, and I hope it continues to entertain.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	33. Chapter 33

"Guys guys guys!" an excited voice squealed from behind where Pyrrha and Blake walked hand in hand. They turned with identically affectionate smiles at the familiar voice of their girlfriend.

"What's up, little rose?" Blake asked, chuckling at her obvious enthusiasm.

Ruby skidded to a halt where they'd stopped just outside of the classroom building. It was a Friday afternoon, and they had two more classes to attend before they could enjoy their weekend.

"I have a mission for us!" the smaller brunette whispered excitedly, grabbing hold of both girls and dragging them back with her into the shadows cast by the early afternoon sun.

"Do tell," Pyrrha prompted, bending over to plant a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Okay, so hear me out first," Ruby resumed in her loud whisper. "See, it's such a nice day out, and the carnival in town is gonna pack up tonight and leave for Mistral, and Pyrrha's still never ridden the Ferris wheel, and I've just been _dying_ for deep-fried candy bars, and-"

"Ruby, breathe!" Blake exclaimed. "Wait, deep-fried candy bars?"

"Oh, yeah," the brunette breathed dreamily. "It's like the best of all worlds, total nirvana of sugar and fat…"

"I think I feel nauseous even imagining it," Pyrrha murmured. "So, what you are saying is that you want us to actually… skip class?"

Ruby nodded eagerly. "Yeah, let's play hooky!"

Blake gave her a stern look. "Ruby, you know how important classes are…"

"And I expect Weiss would have some words to say on this issue as well," Pyrrha added.

"You guys!" Ruby exclaimed. "When have you ever skipped class?"

"Er… never?" the redhead replied, nonplussed. Blake shook her head as well to indicate the same for her.

"Well, neither have I," Ruby proclaimed. "So, just this one time, let's do something, I dunno… naughty. Together."

Pyrrha and Blake shared a skeptical glance. "I am not sure about this…" the leggy redhead murmured.

Ruby huffed out an exasperated sigh and mumbled something under her breath that vaguely sounded like "Didn't want to resort to this…"

And then she turned her face upwards, eyes wide in her best puppy-dog impression, lower lip slightly extended and trembling. It was her secret weapon, a force so powerful she had to be careful in its use otherwise the very fabric of the universe might become unraveled. As she gazed up at her girlfriends, the pout turned up to a massive scale, she finished with her ultimate attack, one guaranteed to leave mere mortals cowering in defeat.

"Please?" she whispered.

Pyrrha hung her head, shaking her mane of red hair from side to side. "That is _so_ unfair," she muttered half-heartedly.

"Right?" Blake sighed resignedly. "Alright, little rose, stop that before you damage the building behind us. We'll go."

Ruby's squeal likely could have shattered eardrums were she indoors as she tackled her girlfriends in a tight, happy hug. "Thank you thank you thank you I love you both so much and we're gonna have so much fun!"

The trio made haste back towards the dorms to change out of their school uniforms and into more comfortable clothes that reflected the, admittedly, nice weather outside. Pyrrha emerged from her room and entered RWBY's wearing a pair of red shorts and a white tank top with sandals, while Blake had donned a black tee shirt and a fairly short purple skirt. She had on her usual black ankle boots. Ruby bounced excitedly on her toes, clothed in tattered jean shorts, a baggy red shirt, and sneakers, for once leaving her beloved cloak in her closet.

"Okay!" Ruby proclaimed enthusiastically. "Now we just gotta sneak onto the airbus!"

"And do you have a plan for this, little rose?" Blake asked amusedly.

"Of course," the brunette replied loftily. "Don't I always?"

"Is it one that requires extensive use of shenanigans?" Pyrrha chuckled.

"Naturally," Ruby retorted.

"Perhaps fewer shenanigans this time," Blake advised as they left the room. "I think we can sneak by easily enough."

"Fine," Ruby huffed. "Don't blame me if the whole thing gets messed up, all because we didn't do shenanigans."

"Yes, love," the Cat Faunus smiled, leaning over to press a quick kiss on the brunette's cheek. Ruby's humor was immediately restored as they quickly walked across the quad, avoiding the classroom buildings or any other structure where students might be congregated at this hour.

"Okay, there's the pad," Ruby murmured. "The next airbus is still on the field, we can-"

"And where are you all off to?" an imperious voice called out.

Ruby let out a startled _eep_ as she spun around, hands raised defensively like some sort of cheesy action vid star. Blake and Pyrrha, equally startled, turned without the theatrics.

"O- Oh, hello Coco, Velvet," Pyrrha stammered, rubbing the back of her neck as she smiled hesitantly. "Lovely day, isn't it?"

The gatling-gun-toting fashionista wore lighter clothes than usual, a stylish short brown skirt with a tan blouse, and she dipped her sunglasses down to peer at the trio suspiciously. Clinging to her side was her teammate Velvet, the Rabbit Faunus also looking to be ready to enjoy the weather in a nice orange sundress.

"Yes, yes it is," Coco replied levelly. "Pity underclassmen have classes right about now, though, isn't it?"

"Oh, they do?" Ruby squeaked out. "I mean, we do? Oh, ha ha, yeah, so we do… um… Yeah, I got nothing here."

"Are you about to tell on us?" Blake asked the second-year girl calmly.

"No, no… not right away, at least…" Coco gave them a smirk. "You all have a nice day, now." With that, the beret-wearing girl strode off with Velvet in tow, the shorter brunette shooting them furtive glances over her shoulder.

"Huh." Ruby stared off after them, somewhat perplexed. "That was… odd."

"In more than a few ways," Blake murmured, steering her girlfriends off and onto the waiting airbus."

"They did seem unusually… brusque," Pyrrha mentioned as they took their seats, Blake in the middle. "Velvet didn't even say a thing to us, she's usually much more friendly than that."

"And what was with the looks the both of them gave us?" Ruby asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

Blake chuckled lightly. "Alright, girls. Allow me to lay it out for you."

"Oh, please do," the redhead giggled, wrapping her arm around the raven-haired girl's shoulders. Ruby snuggled in on the other side, giving the back of Pyrrha's hand a quick kiss.

"They're dating."

"They…" Ruby gazed up at the Cat Faunus in perplexion. "Wait, what? How d'you figure?"

Blake let a small smirk grow on her face. "They were obviously holding hands before they walked up and we noticed them, with how close they were standing. Velvet looked worried that we might see that and was also worried we would tell Weiss. I imagine because she doesn't want to hurt her feelings and that they want to remain friends."

"Wow," Ruby breathed, her eyes wide and shiny. "You're like a romance detective."

Pyrrha giggled merrily. "Oh, indeed. Now you have a backup plan in case the huntress line of work doesn't pay well enough."

"I might consider it a hobby, nothing more," Blake replied, her smirk widening. "And one more thing…"

"Yes?" the redhead prompted.

"I believe they were headed for the airbus as well but didn't want to board with us. That way, they wait for the next one to come by and can act like a couple."

"Hmm," Ruby mused softly. "We're not gonna tell Weiss, right?"

"No, it's not our place to do so." Blake frowned slightly. "Next time we see them, however, we should encourage them to let her know. It'd be cruel for her to find out second-hand like that."

"Yeah, true," Ruby sighed softly. "It sucks sometimes, y'know?"

"What's that, little rose?" Pyrrha asked quietly.

"Well, why is it everyone can't be as happy as us?" the brunette asked, grabbing hold of Blake's hand from her lap and clutching it tightly. She smiled as Pyrrha's other hand drifted over to lie on top of their entwined fingers. "Sometimes I just, I dunno, feel like I'm the luckiest girl in all of Remnant, and it's just not fair that nobody but us can be like this."

Blake laughed quietly as she laid her cheek against Ruby's head. "You have the purest soul of anyone I've met," she murmured. "Always concerned about other people's happiness."

Ruby shrugged uncomfortably. "I just… I feel selfish, sometimes. And yeah, I guess I do want everyone happy, all our friends. I'd like them all to find someone, but I know I can't push anyone together."

Pyrrha nuzzled Blake's neck, leaving a soft kiss that made the Cat Faunus giggle. "I can tell you that I feel incredibly blessed to have what we do have," the redhead murmured. "And while I may hope for others to know the happiness I do, I will not let it diminish any the joy from being with the both of you."

The trio of girls let out almost identical soft sighs of contentment.

"We're a sappy bunch, aren't we?" Ruby asked humorously.

"The sappiest," Blake agreed with a quiet chuckle.

* * *

"I cannot believe you convinced me to try that," Pyrrha groaned, clutching her belly as if some alien organism might burst from it at any moment.

Blake grinned at her redheaded girlfriend unrepentantly. "Sucker," she murmured cheerfully.

The taller girl shot her a glare, though without any heat behind it. "And if the words, 'I told you so,' cross those wonderful lips of yours anytime soon, you shall surely regret it."

"The thought never crossed my mind," the raven-haired girl smirked smugly.

"I dunno what you're making such a fuss about," Ruby commented, chewing on the end of her deep-fried chocolate bar that was filled with some overwhelmingly sweet combination of peanut butter and caramel. She took another large bite. "Thish ish delishioush."

Pyrrha let out another groan. "I can feel my arteries hardening already."

"I was just one bite!"

"And that was more than enough to spell my doom."

"Oh, now you're just being dramatic."

"It is true, I will be felled not by Grimm but by some dastardly confectionary abhorrence," Pyrrha intoned with a deep sigh.

"So, I suppose you're feeling too sick to ride on the Ferris wheel?" Blake asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Pyrrha gazed up at the sky, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I suppose it might be therapeutic," she mused in mock seriousness. "I might just make a miraculous recovery after all."

"Especially if we give healing snuggles," Ruby giggled, skipping backwards in front of the other pair. "They're the best."

"Oh, well now, that _does_ sound grand," Pyrrha smiled softly. "Only snuggles, though?"

"Well, it _is_ a public ride, after all," Blake smirked once more. "I think they might object if we were not to keep our clothing on."

The redhead blushed a bright red as she stared ahead. "That is not… I did not mean… That is, I…"

"It's okay, fluffy fox," Ruby giggled, stopping in place so that she might give the flustered girl a tight hug. "She's just teasing you. And yes, kisses are a big part of the healing snuggles."

Pyrrha sighed, though she couldn't keep the smile off of her face as Blake closed in on the other side and wrapped the both of them into another hug. "Meanie," the redhead chuckled.

"Sorry, sweetie," Blake laughed. "You're just so adorable when you blush."

"Like you're one to talk, kitty cat," Ruby giggled once more. "Would you like some company, Pyrrha?"

"That is quite alright," Blake said hurriedly as she separated from her girlfriends and began striding down their original path. "Didn't we have a ride to get to?"

Pyrrha and Ruby shared a wink and a giggle as they clasped hands, hurrying to keep up with their Cat Faunus.

* * *

"This…" Pyrrha breathed, "...is amazing."

The three of them had a car to themselves on the Ferris wheel. As it was during a time when most were still in classes or school, there wasn't much of a line, and the friendly ride operator agreed to just let them ride for as long as they desired.

The view from the top was, truthfully, pretty spectacular, with the sparkling blue water spread out from the docks, the red of the Forever Falls coating the horizon, and the shining tower of Beacon thrusting into the sky in the distance.

"I could just stay up here with you guys forever," Ruby murmured happily, sitting sideways and against Pyrrha's chest with the redhead's arm wrapped around her torso.

"That wouldn't be such a bad thing," Blake said softly. She brought a hand around the back of Pyrrha's neck, playing with her girlfriend's hair idly. "The view is certainly lovely enough."

Pyrrha grinned as she shot her a look out of the corner of her eye. "And you're referring to the scenery, of course."

"Well, of course," the Cat Faunus purred, leaning in closer. "I mean, there's scenery, and then there's _scenery_."

The redhead turned her face towards Blake just as the raven-haired girl closed the remaining distance, rising up enough to seal their lips together. They both gave small contented moans of pleasure as they parted their lips and brushed tongues alongside each other's.

Ruby craned her neck up, a happy little smile of her own forming on her face as she watched her girlfriends kiss. She brought Pyrrha's palm up and pressed her lips into it.

"Yeah," the brunette sighed dreamily. "I really am the luckiest girl in all of Remnant."

* * *

In the end, it was to be expected, really. Every action has a consequence, every decision ripples that spread.

"I cannot believe how incredibly irresponsible you were," Weiss ranted, standing in the middle of the dorm room with one hand on her hip while the other pointed an accusing manicured nail. "I expected much more from you. Skipping classes? We are in an elite academy, training to be huntresses, and this is how you behave? Unacceptable!"

Sitting in a row on the edge of Blake's bed, the three girls hung their heads as they received their rebuke. "But, Weiss," Ruby began weakly.

"Ah-pupupup!" Weiss cut her off. "I do not want to hear it!" The heiress sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Fortunately, Yang decided that you three deserved covering for the classes you missed. Thus, I do have notes for you to copy." She shot them an unamused glare. "Tonight."

"Um…" Blake looked up hesitantly, her Faunus ears under her bow laid flat against her head. "Yang didn't take the notes, did she?"

"Of course not, what do you take me for?" Weiss huffed. "They're mine, and I expect them back before bed. Now, hop to it." With that, she grabbed a large stack of papers, crowded with small, neat handwriting, and flopped them in Pyrrha's lap before spinning around and flouncing out of the room.

"Well, that could have gone a lot worse," the redhead mused.

Ruby giggled softly. "Yeah, that wasn't even her A-game lecturing. And she didn't need to take notes. I think she's getting soft."

"Do _you_ want to tell her that?" Blake asked with a smirk.

"N- No, not at all!" Ruby backpedaled quickly.

"Well," Pyrrha sighed, rifling through the papers. "It shouldn't take terribly long to go through these… especially if we split them up…"

Blake leaned in to peer over the redhead's shoulder. "Hmm, I believe you're right, maybe, what… a half hour, tops?"

"And the others will be gone for at least another hour," Ruby snickered with a gleam in her silver eyes. "Whatever shall we do with the leftover time?"

"I'm sure we can think of something," Blake giggled, giving Pyrrha a kiss on the neck before moving away once more.

Pyrrha blushed and shook her head. "Degenerates, the lot of you," she murmured affectionately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shenanigans! Crosshare shippers represent! Also… beware the power of the pout, lest it be used for evil and not good.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	34. Chapter 34

Ruby moaned softly into Pyrrha's mouth as she lay halfway on top of her girlfriend. She could get so lost in the feeling of the redhead's mouth and tongue, her hands roaming across her back in gentle caresses while Blake's hand stroked her arm. She could tell without opening her eyes that the raven-haired girl was kissing along Pyrrha's arm while the other hand played with the taller girl's hair.

Times like this, lazy weekend nights when they had the dorm room to themselves and there were no worries pressing upon their minds… Moments like these, rare enough in the five months she'd been dating them, were the ones the brunette treasured the most when she could just bask in the presence of these two extraordinary women, in their love and warmth.

Didn't hurt that they were awesome kissers as well.

Her moan intensified as Pyrrha slid a hand under the back of her pajama shirt, gliding her fingers far up and across her skin before dipping back out again.

_Wait, what was that? Was that… an invitation, maybe?_

They'd had a few conversations in the past, group Truth or Dare sessions notwithstanding, where the three of them had rather frank discussions about where they felt they were with each other, physically. Well, as much as they could with being unable to look each other in the eyes, blushing furiously all the while.

Eventually what they'd come to a consensus over was that they were fine with things as they were, but as had come out during the game last week, both Blake and Ruby were willing to take things further.

Pyrrha, however, preferred to go at a slower pace, and her other girlfriends were more than content to let her set said pace. None of them felt right taking any steps that any of them were not comfortable taking.

But lately, the leggy redhead had been a little more… adventurous in where her hands roamed. Ruby had been very careful to only reciprocate her actions, but sometimes…

Sometimes her hormones got the better of her.

Like now.

Her small hands were caressing Pyrrha's stomach over her nightshirt when the redhead's hand slipped once more, this time across Ruby's chest, ever so slightly brushing up against the bottom of her breasts. The brunette gasped softly at the contact, and her own hands eagerly wandered their way north, only for Pyrrha to suddenly stiffen and pull back from their kiss.

Realizing her error, Ruby quickly shot up onto her forearms. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed worriedly. "I'm really, really sorry, I just… I got a little carried away, I didn't mean…"

"It's… It's alright, Ruby," Pyrrha panted, her face flushed. Blake was leaning with her head supported on one hand and alongside Pyrrha's other side, looking between the two of them in concern.

"I just… I suck sometimes at cues, y'know?" Ruby mumbled, downcast. "I thought, maybe… you wanted to, um… do more?"

"I…" Pyrrha sighed, chewing on her bottom lip. "I'm nervous."

Ruby's gaze shot back up. "What?"

"Pyrrha, sweetie, whatever for?" Blake murmured reassuringly. "It's just us, there's nothing to be nervous about."

The redhead closed her eyes, a bright blush spreading across her cheeks. "I know you both want more… and believe me, I do as well… I am just not sure… what to do." She puffed her cheeks as she blew out an anxious breath. "And I am sorry if I am sending… mixed signals."

"Don't you apologize, fluffy fox," Ruby implored, bending back down to hug her girlfriend tightly. "Just tell us what you want."

"But that is the problem," Pyrrha whispered despondently. "I do not know what I want."

Ruby let out a sigh as she glanced over at the raven-haired girl on the other side. Blake was gently stroking back Pyrrha's hair, a worried look on her face.

_Okay, then. Maybe I just need to… step up._

"Alright." Ruby sat all the way up, straddling one of Pyrrha's legs and with her hands on her hips. "Would it help for you to hear what I'd like? Because I really would like us to all be on the same page here."

Two pairs of eyes, one emerald green and one amber, both looked back at her with equal amounts of love, trust, and devotion. "Go ahead, little rose," Pyrrha whispered with a small smile.

"So, I really like… kissing. A lot. And…" Ruby cleared her throat. "I wanna fool around more. Not like… sex. Yet. But, yeah, other stuff."

Pyrrha nodded slowly and licked her lips. "I… can get behind that idea," she replied, her voice still just above a whisper.

Blake just nodded wordlessly, a small smirk on her face which conveyed more than just acceptance of her statement. It was more of an encouragement to keep going.

To be the dominant one in their relationship.

"Okay," Ruby breathed. "So, you're good with this, my fluffy little fox? And you too, right, my little kitty cat?"

The pair of them grinned at the affectionate nicknames and murmured their agreement.

"Okay then," Ruby began once more. "So, I wanna play with your boobs."

Pyrrha's eyes bugged out, while Blake's head fell back as she snickered merrily.

"I...see…" the redhead mumbled. "Er… that… actually sounds… quite lovely…"

"You sure?" the brunette pressed once more. "I don't want you to feel pressured, or- or- or like you have to do this to, I dunno, keep our affection, 'cause I'm gonna love you no matter what, even if all we ever do is snuggle, I mean, that's fine, really, so long as we're together-"

Pyrrha reached up and laid her fingers over the babbling teen's lips. "Ruby. I am fine with it."

She gave her fingers a quick kiss before they retracted. "Right." She took a deep breath, and with a rapid motion reached down, stripped her top off, and flung it onto the bed behind her.

The reactions of her girlfriends were quite memorable. If she didn't know better, the brunette thought that Blake might have started drooling slightly, while Pyrrha simply looked stunned.

But they both looked very, very pleased with the development.

Her grin widening, Ruby snapped her fingers to get their attention. "Come on, ladies, I want to see fewer clothes here. Tops off."

Ruby watched hungrily as they complied, rising up just enough to slip their sleepwear shirts off. It left the both of them only in their panties, as their nightclothes were one-piece outfits.

"Hmm, didn't think about that," Ruby mused, still grinning widely. "Oh, well, I can work with this." She dropped back onto her rear and shimmied out of her pajama bottoms before resuming her previous stance. "There, now we're even."

Pyrrha let out a breathy little laugh as Blake draped herself back across her, nuzzling into her neck. "Then why are you still up there?"

"An excellent point, sweetie," Ruby giggled, lowering herself down once more and relishing in the feeling of their skin brushing up against each other.

"Oh, yeah," she murmured before her lips caressed Pyrrha's once more. "I am the luckiest girl in _all_ of Remnant…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah, I'm kinda skirting the T rating line here, but I think it still follows the rules. Their relationship continues to improve, physically, though I'm not going much into the details obviously. That's what A Thorny Bind is for.
> 
> I tried very hard to portray the three of them as being in a mutually respectful relationship, though Pyrrha is the most hesitant, primarily through her own inexperience and fears. She's willing, but not to make the first moves. So once more we see Ruby as the dominant force in the group, but only so long as she is sure they are all together. And nope, not sex yet, still haven't crossed that line. Yet.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	35. Chapter 35

Yang carefully cracked the door to their room open, ears straining for any noise. Upon hearing only soft snores, she let out a sigh of relief.

She did _not_ need to walk in on her sister and her girlfriends making out again. Once was quite enough, thank you very much.

The blonde glanced over her shoulder towards a patiently waiting Weiss and gave her a quick thumbs-up. Nodding in reply, the heiress slipped past her, snatched her nightclothes off of her dresser, and then darted into the bathroom, closing it behind her silently.

Yang eased herself further into the room, cutting off the hall light when she closed and locked the door behind her. She slipped her clothes off as quietly as possible, dropping them by her dresser, and changed into her nightwear.

Wandering over towards the window while waiting for Weiss to finish up, she glanced over at her partner's bed. As was usual, the three women were cuddled up against each other, contented smiles on their faces as they slept.

_Even when they're sleeping, they're so happy. And that's just all kinds of awesome._

She paused once more to reflect on the odd relationship that the three women enjoyed. She'd never heard of such a thing previously, not from anyone she'd ever known, though Blake had pointed out a couple of books that contained stories of such. Still, these three girls, one of whom was her little sister, made their relationship work better than most other couples she'd seen. Herself especially, at least historically.

Yang smiled softly and shook her head, but then froze as a small detail caught her eye.

A bare shoulder.

Lilac eyes narrowed, she peered over without getting any closer.

_Yup. No shirts on any of 'em._

"Well," she breathed, turning back around and gazing out the window at the starry sky. "Time to have a little chat with Rubes."

* * *

The next morning rolled around, and Yang asked if she might hang out some with just Ruby. Both Blake and Pyrrha cheerfully complied, deciding to spend the early day out in the town while the two sisters took a walk around the academy grounds.

"So, much as I love spending time with my big sis," the brunette began slowly, as they'd been mostly silent on their walk. "Do you wanna maybe get to what you wanted to talk to me about?"

The blonde chewed on her lip somewhat hesitantly now that she was put on the spot. "You know I love you, right, Rubes?"

"Well, yeah, that's a silly question."

"And Blakey, she's my partner, more like a sister, really…"

"Yep, you might have mentioned that once or twice."

"Even Pyrrha, she's a really good friend, like her a lot…"

Ruby sighed, realizing that they were going to circle the topic for a while longer. "Yep, I have to agree with you there too, Pyrrha's pretty awesome."

They walked along further for another minute in silence until Yang spoke up again.

"What made you decide to be with two women at once?"

Ruby glanced over her her sister, but the lilac eyes that looked back at her were filled with more concern than anything. "I can't really tell you," she replied honestly. "I just… I really liked the both of them. Like, a whole lot. And then to find out that they both liked me? Well…" She shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, just felt natural to try and make it work."

"And… was there anything that, I dunno…" Yang seemed to be grasping for words. "Was I somehow like a role model, encouraging this? I mean, I know I've had a lot of boyfriends and girlfriends, but none at the same time… Was I a bad influence?"

Ruby chuckled lightly, not offended in the slightest as she knew Yang was only being herself. "For starters, it's not a bad influence, 'cause this isn't a bad thing. It's a wonderful thing, Yang, this is… I've never been this happy. Really. And, as far as _being_ an influence?" Ruby scoffed quietly. "Don't forget Dad."

Yang barked out a short laugh. "Yeah, okay, point." She gazed at the ground while they walked, pondering what she really wanted to say. "I just… I worry about you being taken advantage of, Rubes. You're younger than Blake or Pyrrha."

The brunette shook her head. "Not much younger, and besides, the age difference doesn't matter to us. We're just… us." She looked over at her sister sharply. "This is because of last night, right? You noticed we were all shirtless?"

Her blonde sister nodded glumly, unable to meet her eyes. Ruby just laughed softly.

"Yang… We're not having sex yet."

"You're not?"

"Nope, just fooling around, y'know?"

Yang nodded slowly. "Yeah, okay, but still…"

Her younger sister chuckled as she continued. "Also, I was the instigator of that."

"You… what?"

"I'm usually the driving force behind the three of us. I'm not being taken advantage of, honest."

Yang stopped in her tracks, gaping at her little sister incredulously. "You mean to tell me… you're actually _topping_ two women at the same time?"

The comment made Ruby blush slightly. "Well, when you put it that way… I mean, yeah, I guess so."

The blonde pulled her sister into a tight hug. "I am so proud of you," she whispered brokenly.

"Thanks… Yang…" Ruby wheezed from somewhere behind Yang's bosom. "Air… nice… please…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Yang's still looking out for her little sister. It's gonna happen, and Ruby knows that. She keeps bouncing from being protectively concerned and both impressed and proud. Next up, though, let's check in with our other lovely ladies…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	36. Chapter 36

Blake and Pyrrha strolled along the sidewalk, holding hands and smiling softly. They'd been given the morning together to wander Vale while the third member of their relationship spent some time with her sister.

They stopped at the entrance to one of the small parks that dotted the city, this one not as busy as others they'd seen.

"Shall we?" Pyrrha asked with a small grin.

Blake nodded. "Love to."

They meandered further into the park and halted at a bench overlooking a small pond, sitting down with their arms wrapped around each other. There weren't many others using the park, perhaps a few joggers and the occasional dog-walker.

The redhead tilted her head down to rest it atop Blake's. "I have a question for you."

"What's on your mind, fluffy fox?"

Pyrrha smiled at the nickname that she'd become accustomed to. "Do you find it… odd, how we both seem to… go along with everything Ruby initiates?"

Blake turned her head slightly to place a kiss on her cheek. "Are you concerned?"

"No, not at all, just… It seems unusual."

"Not really. She's our Alpha."

Pyrrha moved her head back, blinking uncertainly. "Pardon?"

The raven-haired girl chuckled lightly. "I realize it's a Faunus term, but it applies to the three of us. Ruby is our Alpha, and we are her Betas."

"Hmm." Pyrrha turned her gaze back out across the pond. "That… makes a certain amount of sense, actually. But, still…"

Blake laughed softly as she nuzzled into Pyrrha's neck, ghosting a quick kiss against her neck. "What else is on your mind?"

The redhead smiled and bent down to capture her girlfriend's lips briefly. "I don't quite understand how it is that she can be so… dominant with the both of us. I always knew Ruby as this cute but socially awkward girl."

"Mmm, I see." Blake rested her head on Pyrrha's shoulder. "I have a theory on that if you're interested. It has to do with _Crescent Rose._ "

"Oh, this should be good," Pyrrha laughed affectionately. "Do go on."

"I've known Ruby as long as you have, but I've fought with her more often." Blake pursed her lips thoughtfully. "She's a completely different person when she fights, not just because of her confidence in her own skills but because she's wielding a weapon that she created herself, lovingly modified, and trusts with her life."

"Okay, I'm following you so far," Pyrrha murmured.

"Well, that's the same trust, respect, and love that Ruby shows with us. It's that same confidence that makes her so… dominant with us, especially in private." Blake glanced up at the leggy redhead. "Would you want it any other way?"

"No," Pyrrha quickly replied with a warm smile. "No, I wouldn't change a thing."

"Me neither."

They sat there in each other's arms for a while longer before Pyrrha spoke up again.

"I wonder," she murmured with a blush, "what we will be in for when she decides to take things to the, er, next level?"

Blake had a blush of her own creep across her face, though she desperately tried to push aside such thoughts, instead clearing her throat. "Well, I suppose we shall see when we are all ready. And you know nothing will happen that we don't want, all three of us together."

"I know," Pyrrha smiled. "I am so very, very lucky to be with you both. And, when the time comes…" She cleared her throat as well, the blush intensifying. "Well, I cannot imagine anyone else than the two of you that I would want to be with for my first time."

Blake buried her face in Pyrrha's shoulder. "We need to stop discussing this in public," she whispered brokenly.

"Agreed," Pyrrha murmured back, squirming slightly in her seat. "Ahem. Perhaps Ruby and Yang are done with their walk?"

"Mmm." Blake sat upright. "And perhaps we might make use of the room for awhile…?"

The pair of girls shot each other wide grins before jumping to their feet and hurrying towards the airbus station.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've actually been wanting to show this discussion regarding Ruby as their Alpha for some time now, as well as touching upon her confidence within the relationship. Figured I'd let it progress to this point before I had the other two girls discuss it.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	37. Chapter 37

Weiss was not having the best of days.

It had started out well enough with a breakfast of eggs and toast, along with coffee that was the perfect temperature. But before long she was joined by the others, the rest of her team and those of Team JNPR.

Which, of course, included her partner and her two girlfriends.

The heiress glanced at the trio of girls as unobtrusively as possible out of the corner of her eye as she blew across the top of her coffee mug. They were relaxed and joking as always, contented happy smiles on their faces. Blake was gently teasing Ruby about the amount of sugar in her coffee, while Pyrrha tried to sneak a bite of cheesy eggs off of the brunette's plate. Ruby noticed and tried fending her off with a fork, which the redhead responded to by quickly darting in to give her a kiss.

Leaving Ruby distracted enough for Blake to take a bite off of her plate.

The white-haired girl shook her head slowly, an unwilling and rueful smile spreading across her face. There was just something about the three of them, the way they were so comfortable with each other, so carefree and lighthearted.

She couldn't say she was jealous, really, because Weiss Schnee does _not_ get jealous.

But she did really, really wish she had something as wonderful as the three of them shared.

And the thought simply would not leave her for the rest of the day. Certainly, she'd given them some consideration before, quite a bit when they had started out in their relationship. It was a rather difficult concept for the heiress to wrap her head around, the fact that Ruby could be in love with two women at the same time. Much less that each woman returned the gesture. And then, when it became obvious that Blake and Pyrrha were _also_ in love with each other?

To put it succinctly, her mind was blown.

After their morning classes, the group of them had headed out to the grounds to enjoy the nice weather and get some studying in. Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha were all clustered around a large tree that she'd seen the Cat Faunus recline beneath previously, while Yang hung out with Nora, Ren, and Jaune several yards away. The latter group was mostly chatting away, though Ren did try to keep them on task.

Weiss sat by herself in between the two groups, facing the trio under the tree. She kept observing them, and every interaction they had, every loving gesture no matter how small, was carefully dissected in her mind, trying to figure out how they worked.

"What is it about them that I cannot seem to leave alone?" she mused to herself quietly.

Her face flushed in embarrassment as Blake's bow twitched, but she quickly buried her face in a textbook before the raven-haired girl could meet her gaze.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid… Why would I say something like that out loud when I know she can hear me?_

And she could feel those amber eyes boring into her now, joined by silver and emerald green ones now that the quiet conversation across the way had stopped. Unable to keep her calm demeanor any further, Weiss quickly scooped up her books and papers and hurried back to the dorm.

_It's bad enough I can't seem to keep my mind off of them, but now they know it! I'm sure the teasing will be endless, especially if Yang gets wind of this…_

Her face was hot from the blush covering her cheeks, and she kept her head resolutely down as she raced up the stairs. Whipping out her scroll, she unlocked the door and hurried into the room, slamming it behind her.

Weiss strode over to her desk, setting the objects in her hands down with an irritable huff.

_Calm… Just breathe, it is not like me to be this flustered…_

"What is even wrong with me?" she whispered, her hands clenched where they rested on the desk.

She jumped slightly as the door opened behind her, and the three subjects of her odd recent obsession walked through.

_Oh, Dust damn it all…_

"Weiss?" her brunette partner spoke up hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm… fine, Ruby. Honestly. Just… a bit warm outside, I needed to cool off."

Blake walked over to sit on the edge of the bed she now shared with the other two. "It's more than that, Weiss. You've been acting very strangely lately, staring at the three of us when you don't think we'd notice. And I heard what you said outside."

The tall redhead sat next to her Faunus girlfriend while Ruby remained standing close to Weiss. "I realize I am not your teammate, but I do consider you a friend," Pyrrha stated solemnly. "Please let us help you."

"I just…" Weiss closed her eyes in frustration. "I don't know what's wrong with me, I can't seem to stop thinking about the three of you, and what you have, and…"

She was startled by a small pair of strong arms that slipped around her. Ruby pulled her in close and into a warm hug. "It's okay, Weiss," the brunette murmured. "We're here for you, alright?"

The heiress relaxed into the embrace, uncharacteristic in her acceptance of the physical comfort.

She was not, however, prepared for another pair of bodies pressing into her and surrounding her in warmth.

"W- What…?" she stammered.

"Is this what you want?" Blake asked softly.

"Something like this, in a group?" Pyrrha added.

"I d- don't know…" Weiss closed her eyes once more against the sensation. Was this what she wanted, or was it just the promise of intimacy with one person?

Did she really desire to be this close to more than one girl?

"You know," Ruby murmured. "There's always room for one more."

"R- Really?" Weiss breathed. "I'm, um… I'm not sure about… well…"

Her brow furrowed at the sound of her alarm going off. _It's the middle of the day, why did I even have my alarm set?_

And then she blinked her eyes open, ensconced beneath the covers of her bed. She automatically reached over to silence her alarm, gazing across the room to where Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha slept peacefully.

With a grunt of irritation, the heiress flopped her head back against her pillow. "That is the last time I borrow one of Blake's books to read before bed," she groaned in embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: This chapter was originally posted on April 1, 2016.
> 
> Sooo… April Fool's! Heh. I actually did have another chapter lined up, but then I read THB4's review, and I was like, 'oh that's too awesome an opportunity to pass up', so there we go. What would we even call a four-way with Purruby and Weiss? Frozen Purruby? Greek Pollination?
> 
> Dream chapters are always enjoyable to write.
> 
> Tomorrow's posting will be fun, though, I think y'all might enjoy it. For real this time.


	38. Chapter 38

Ruby yawned and rolled over from where she'd been snuggled up against Blake's chest to see what the time was. It turned into a soft groan as the early predawn hour glared back at her from the clock.

' _S what I get for drinkin' so much milk before bed,_ she thought to herself sleepily.

She sat up, scratching at her sides and making sure she was still fully clothed. Her girlfriends and her teammates had come to an agreement that, to avoid future embarrassment, the three of them should sleep with clothes on when either Yang or Weiss were in the room if at all possible. Pyrrha was quick to agree, though Ruby didn't really see what the issue was if they were covered by sheets.

Though, she supposed accidents could happen. She giggled to herself at the memory of the uncomfortable look on Weiss' face when she'd participated in the discussion.

_Yeah, I suppose it's worth it to spare Weiss from seeing anything that would scar her._

She laughed quietly to herself as she scampered into the bathroom and took advantage of the facilities. She had a feeling that, behind the cool and authoritative exterior, Weiss wasn't nearly as prissy as she let on. Still, even though they were friends and partners, some things just didn't need to be shared. Partial nudity being one of them, seeing how they usually changed clothing in the bathroom.

Well, except for Yang, but the blonde just didn't seem to care overmuch who saw her.

On her way back to bed, Ruby glanced with instinctual concern to make sure her partner was still sleeping well.

Only to spy an empty bed.

The brunette stood in the middle of the room, blinking uncertainly. Now, it had been said before that she wasn't always the brightest cookie in the cookie jar, but in reality, it was more her sleepy state of mind that explained why she stood there for a full minute before even thinking of glancing over at the bunk bed above Blake's.

Sure enough, alongside the expected mane of blonde hair were long white locks that glowed in the dim light of the room.

She slapped her hands over her mouth before she could let an incredulous laugh escape. Once she was sure she had herself under control, she tiptoed back to Blake's bed and gently shook the Cat Faunus awake.

Blake blinked her eyes open and parted her mouth, but Ruby placed a finger over the raven-haired girl's lips while laying another alongside her own. She repeated the process with Pyrrha while the bemused Faunus girl watched, then the brunette motioned for the both of them to join her.

Ruby stood with her toes on the edge of Blake's bed frame so that she could peer over the edge, while Blake was forced to stand on her tiptoes. Pyrrha, of course, could stand flat-footed. The three of them, all lined up, stared at the sight.

"Weiiiss…" Ruby murmured quietly, a mischievous grin on her face. She reached out and gently poked the heiress' arm from where it resting on top of the one that Yang had draped around her midsection.

The white-haired girl mumbled something sleepily as she cracked her eyelids open.

Three sets of eyes, silver, amber, and emerald green, all twinkled at her merrily.

"Whatcha doin'?" Ruby asked in a sing-song voice.

Suddenly wide awake, Weiss bolted upright, the motion rousing Yang as well.

"Huh?" the blonde mumbled blearily. "Whazzat?"

"Ruby!" Weiss exclaimed, her pale face blushing brightly. "I- I- I can explain, you see, er… I was cold!"

"Uh-huh," Ruby drawled, unconvinced. "Nope, not buying it, Weissy."

"I do believe you are busted," Pyrrha proclaimed humorously.

Yang sighed, pulling Weiss back against her chest though the smaller girl remained sitting. "Well, it was gonna come out eventually, especially if you're really coming home with us over summer break…"

Ruby quirked an eyebrow at this and glanced up at the flustered heiress for confirmation.

Blake decided to take pity on the poor girl. "You know we don't mind," she murmured. "But I'm sure there's a story here."

"Yes, well…" Weiss sighed softly, playing with her hair before resting her hands atop Yang's arm. "After my… date with Velvet, Yang was very supportive. We talked quite a bit…"

"I was all comfortin' an' all," Yang mumbled sleepily.

Weiss smiled softly before giving the blonde a light slap on the arm that remained firmly wrapped around her waist. "Hush. Let me finish." She looked back at the trio of girls who were waiting expectantly. "In any case, we, er, broke past some of our barriers we'd erected with our… bickering…"

"Huh," Ruby mused. "There _has_ been a lot less of that, hasn't there…"

"Yes, well… Initially it really was because I was cold one night, honestly," Weiss insisted mildly. "But then… I kept coming back. I've been sneaking back into my own bed every morning since I'm the first one up usually."

Yang chuckled lightly. "Yeah, who knew she could be so _Schnee_ -ky," she quipped.

The blonde cheerfully ignored the four glares sent her way.

"But how did you manage to get in and out of bed without Blake noticing?" Pyrrha asked curiously, glancing at her raven-haired girlfriend.

Weiss rubbed the back of her neck self-consciously. "Well… I noticed she's been a much heavier sleeper ever since, er… the three of you began sharing a bed."

"It's true," Blake shrugged, unconcerned.

"I just… was perhaps a little bit embarrassed about what you all might think…" Weiss trailed off hesitantly.

"Whelp," Ruby smiled. "At least now you don't have to sneak back down in the morning anymore, right?"

"Er… right?"

The brunette giggled lightly before ducking back down. "G'night again, Weiss, Yang."

Pyrrha and Blake nodded and smiled as they each bid them goodnight as well, dropping down onto the bed below once more.

Yang gave a sleepy yawn as she dragged Weiss back down into her embrace. "Toldja it wouldn't be a big deal."

The heiress sighed and rolled her eyes while snuggling back into the warmth of her blonde teammate. "Yes, fine, you were right. Happy?"

The blonde placed a quick kiss onto the side of Weiss' neck, making the heiress giggle lightly. "Yep, am now."

Just then, Ruby popped back up, her silver eyes shining. "Hey, Weiss?"

"Yes, Ruby?"

"I'm really happy for you."

Weiss smiled softly. "Thank you, Ruby."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo Freezerburn! And that's what I've been trying to set up for Weiss. Now, can we all imagine how much fun summer break will be in Patch? Hehehe. 
> 
> How about… a clubbing chapter next?
> 
> Stay shiny!


	39. Chapter 39

"I'm not so sure about this anymore, guys," Ruby murmured from where she hung back behind her girlfriends.

Blake paused, turning so that her black knee-length dress flared out slightly. "It'll be fine, little rose, you know we'll be with you."

Pyrrha reached back as well to fold the smaller brunette into a hug, her sleeveless and form-fitting red dress silky smooth against Ruby's cheek. "We don't have to stay long if you don't want to, just enough to say hello to the birthday girl."

"No, it's okay," she replied somewhat glumly. "It's Nora, and she was really excited when I said I'd come… I just…"

Her Cat Faunus girlfriend moved in on the other side, completing the circle of her embrace. "I know, sweetie. You hate crowds."

"Not just the crowds," Ruby mumbled. "It's the people, and the talking with the people, and trying not to act like an idiot when I just _know_ I'm gonna say something stupid or fall over or step on someone's toes with my stupid lady-stilts or-"

Blake tipped her chin back and placed a warm and loving kiss on her lips to cut off the rapidly downward-spiralling rant. "And we'll both be by you, just hang on to us and you don't even have to talk to anyone you don't want to."

"That's what we're here for, love," the redhead murmured before bending down to capture Ruby's lips in a kiss of her own.

The brunette let out a happy little sigh. "Yeah, okay. Thanks, guys."

Still, she made sure she was ensconced safely in between her girlfriends, arms linked as she walked with them into the night club. Her red and black dress had gotten some nice comments from the both of them earlier, but she still felt… exposed. Uncomfortable. The brunette girl knew she'd feel better if she were wearing her cloak, the familiarity of it lending her some measure of normalcy, but everything about this entire evening was as if designed to increase her stress levels.

Ruby looked around anxiously as they walked down the steps and onto the level of the dance floor. She spotted her other teammates and friends across the crowded room, some of them gathered around a table. Yang was already out dancing, along with Nora, Coco, and Velvet, but Weiss was sitting down and chatting with Ren.

She stifled a whimper as she took in the number of people she'd have to wade through to get to her partner.

 _Oum,_ how she hated crowds.

Like she'd said earlier, though, it wasn't even just the crowds. It was the people, the seething, writhing mass of people all usually towering over her. Interacting with them, trying not to get jostled by them, feeling so closed-in and without any breathable air… She'd always been this way, so much better in small groups, especially when it was people she knew. Or just her sweetheart, why couldn't people be more like weapons? That'd make them much easier to deal with.

Ruby sighed resignedly, gripping Blake and Pyrrha tighter as they began to make their way through. Not for the first time she gave thanks to whatever spirits watched over her, be it her mom or otherwise, who gifted her with such amazingly wonderful women in her life who effortlessly returned her love and affection.

She could do this. With Blake and Pyrrha at her sides, she could do this.

Taking a deep breath, she plunged ahead. Pyrrha called out cheerfully to a few people that she knew, while Blake kept mostly silent at her side. Ruby caught her glancing down at her worriedly, but she gave her what she hoped to be a reassuring smile.

_Almost there, almost to the tables…_

And then they were through. Ruby released the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and loosened her death grip on the arms of her girlfriends. Pyrrha gave her arm a squeeze back before moving off to the side to speak with Jaune, while Blake bent down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Are you alright now, Ruby?" she murmured over the sound of the throbbing dance music.

"I'm fine, kitty cat," she smiled back, giving her a one-armed hug around her waist. "You wanna go dance with Yang and Nora?"

"Mmm." The Cat Faunus looked at her, concern still filling her amber eyes. "Will you be alright here?"

"I'm fine, I got Weiss and Pyrrha and the others. Go on."

Blake gave her another kiss, this time on the lips, before she smoothly slid into the crowd with a quick glance back, gracing her with a brilliant smile as she slipped through the dancers as if they were shadows.

The brunette let out a sigh as she plopped down in a chair next to her partner. "Heya, Weiss. Enjoying the party?"

The white-haired girl smiled softly at her and gave a small shrug. "It's alright. A little too… chaotic for my tastes. That would be why Ren and I are over here."

"Indeed," Ren replied with a small smile of his own. "We're not much for such festivities."

"Oh, Oum, I know what you mean!" Ruby exclaimed, swinging her hands around wildly. "I mean… all these _people_!"

"Well, you're welcome to hang out at the quiet table," Jaune chuckled from behind as he slid into a seat next to Ruby. He handed her a plastic cup. "Fruit punch, not spiked, I promise."

"Eh, it might've made the evening go by faster," Ruby chuckled lightly. She held her cup up. "To the socially awkward!"

Though both Ren and Jaune tapped their cups to hers, Weiss let out an irritable huff. "I am most certainly _not_ socially awkward, thank you very much. I simply do not appreciate having smelly people thrusting their unclean bodies into my face."

Ruby nodded amicably and held her cup out once more to her partner. "To the vertically challenged!"

The heiress smiled and returned the gesture. "Very well, that is a toast I can get behind."

Pyrrha walked up and wrapped her arms around Ruby's shoulders from behind. "Are you doing okay here?" she asked quietly.

The brunette grinned at the concern shown by both of her girlfriends and craned her neck back to give the redhead a warm kiss. "I'm fine. Blakey's out on the floor with Yang and Nora."

Nodding, Pyrrha nuzzled her neck, causing her to giggle. "I'll be right back, then, just need to use the restroom."

"Okay, fluffy fox."

Weiss groaned quietly as the leggy redhead walked off, though Ruby was too distracted by the sight of her gorgeous girlfriend leaving to pay attention to what she was grumbling about.

_That dress just leaves nothing at all to the imagination… well, that's not true, I'm imagining all sorts of things… Bad Ruby, behave…_

"Ruby!"

"Huh? What'd I miss?" Ruby turned back around, blinking innocently even though she knew a bright blush had spread across her cheeks.

Jaune was snickering quietly behind his hand, and even Ren looked highly amused, but Weiss was rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Honestly, I don't know what to do with the three of you…"

"Oh, I got all sorts of ideas of what to do," she murmured under her breath. Evidently, it wasn't quiet enough, even with the noise of the music, as Jaune's forehead hit the table while he laughed helplessly.

"What was that?" Weiss barked sharply.

"Nothing, nothing…" Ruby tried once more for the picture of innocence, but then she caught sight of Blake out of the corner of her eye, dancing with unusual abandon with her blonde partner. The brunette's eyes glazed over as she watched the Cat Faunus move with such sinuous sensuality that she could feel the drool begin to gather in her mouth.

_Oh, that is so unfair…_

"Ruby, you're doing it again," Jaune snickered, jostling her elbow and shaking her out of her reverie.

She sighed and shook her head with a rueful grin. "Sorry, guys… can't help that I have such hot girlfriends, they're very distracting."

"Speaking of which," Ren interjected, motioning over towards the side of the dance floor. "It would seem that Pyrrha has picked up an admirer."

Ruby's eyes shot over to where he was indicating. A tall, lanky boy was blocking the redhead's path, obviously trying to engage in conversation. He wore jeans and a blue button-up shirt, with slicked-back dark hair and an even slicker smile. Pyrrha had a polite smile of her own plastered on her face as she tried to evade him, but he seemed to be extremely persistent.

In a flash of rose petals, Ruby was suddenly standing in between the two of them, protectively sheltering her tall girlfriend, her hands on her hips and glaring skyward.

"Hey, are you hitting on my girlfriend?" Ruby demanded.

The boy stared down at her in perplexion. "Umm…"

"You are!" She turned back to an amused-looking Pyrrha. "He is, isn't he? He was hitting on you!"

Without waiting for an answer, Ruby turned back to give the boy her very best Grimm-withering scowl. "You were hitting on her! Blake!"

Her angry shout was easily heard over the noise of the music, but Blake had already picked up on the commotion and was on her way over. "What's…" the Cat Faunus began, but Ruby didn't give her a chance either.

"This guy was hitting on our girlfriend!"

"'Our' girlfriend?" the boy asked, his brow furrowed.

Pyrrha laid a restraining hand on the increasingly irritable brunette. "Ruby, it's alright…"

"No, he was hitting on you!" Ruby exclaimed. "That's not right! I'm gonna fight him!"

Blake tried to move in as well, placing a comforting arm around the smaller girl's middle. "No, sweetie, you don't need to fight him…"

"But I wanna!"

"Seriously?" the boy smirked. He quailed under the intense glare that all three girls sent his way, and decided that perhaps the craziness wasn't worth the effort. As he slunk away to find easier prey, both Pyrrha and Blake worked on keeping hold of the excitable teen girl.

"Come back here! I'm tiny, fight me!"

Eventually, the redhead and raven-haired girl managed to drag Ruby back to the table, even while she continued to hurl insults and threats at the boy no longer within sight.

The brunette let out a huff as she was dragged down onto Pyrrha's lap at the table where her friends were wiping tears of mirth from their eyes from the scene.

"I coulda taken him," she grumbled.

"Oh, no doubt," Pyrrha laughed softly. "My heroic little rose."

"Our shining red knight of valor," Blake added, leaning in for a quick kiss that brought a smile to Ruby's face again. The raven-haired girl sat down in a chair next to them and put an arm around Pyrrha while her head rested on Ruby's shoulder.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, just quietly watching the dancers out on the floor. Pyrrha absently ran her fingers through Blake's hair, careful not to jostle the bow, while Ruby traced random patterns on the back of the arm the redhead had around her. Yang came back eventually and dragged a protesting Weiss out, while Nora bounced over to grab hold of Ren. The orange-haired girl gave the three girls a cheery greeting, as well as profuse thanks for coming to her party, before she and the beleaguered raven-haired boy disappeared into the crowd.

"Hey, guys?" Ruby murmured.

"Hmm?"

"Yes, little rose?"

"D'you think we could head home?" the brunette asked plaintively. "I think I've had my fill of people."

Pyrrha placed a kiss on the top of her head while she hugged both girls closer to her. "I think that's a lovely idea."

"Would you like me to send a message to both Yang and Weiss, let them know we're leaving?" Blake asked, smiling at the both of them.

"Yup," Ruby responded with a twinkle in her silver eyes. "And while you're at it… maybe that they should stay and enjoy the party for at least another half hour?"

The three of them stood, Pyrrha stretching her long frame out from being bunched up with Ruby in her lap.

Ruby's gaze wandered over the redhead's toned body under her very form-fitting red dress. "Umm… maybe make it an hour instead?"

"Gladly," Blake whispered, licking her dry lips.

Pyrrha giggled merrily, taking hold of her girlfriends and dragging them out of the club with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm tiny, fight me!" is the battle cry of my youngest daughter, PandaAnimeLover. I can commiserate here with Ruby, though, as I have rather crippling social anxiety when it comes to large crowds, parties, talking to strangers, making new friends… I like my little shell. It's nice and warm and safe.
> 
> I've actually been looking forward to doing this chapter for some time, all based around Ruby's attempts to defend her girlfriend's honor. It made me giggle every time I proofread it.
> 
> Hey, know what we haven't had in awhile? An omake!
> 
> \----------
> 
> Blake tried to move in as well, placing a comforting arm around the smaller girl's middle. "No, sweetie, you don't need to fight him…"
> 
> "But I wanna!"
> 
> "Seriously?" the boy smirked. "Crazy-ass bitch…"
> 
> The poor unfortunate soul quailed as he was affixed by three glares that pinned him in place more surely than the stinger of a Deathstalker.
> 
> Both Blake and Pyrrha simultaneously released their grips on their diminutive girlfriend.
> 
> "Ruby," the raven-haired girl growled quietly. "Sic 'im."
> 
> Most of the ensuing carnage was shielded by a whirlwind of rose petals and blood. There were enough breaks, though, for the two girls to observe some of the more visceral scenes.
> 
> "Well, she's certainly improved in her hand-to-hand combat," Pyrrha noted. "Nice arm lock there before she broke it. The arm, that is."
> 
> The both of them winced briefly. "That's new," Blake commented. "Since when could she vibrate her hand fast enough to pull out a rib?"
> 
> Pyrrha shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't think that's come up in our sparring sessions."
> 
> They shared a brief smile over the sounds of the beleaguered boy's anguished screams.
> 
> "Arrgghhh, my spleen!"
> 
> \----------
> 
> Yeah, I still amuse myself. Go, me.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	40. Chapter 40

It was unusual nowadays for Ruby to be in her own bed, actually sleeping. If she were ever to climb up on her bunk, it would be to study or read, but today…

Today the diminutive brunette was miserable.

She sniffled morosely as she huddled under the covers that were pulled up over her head but with just a single crack left for her eyes, staring out blearily into the empty room.

_So this is my life now, alone and forsaken… never to feel the comfort of others again…_

She perked up slightly as the door to the room creaked open on near-silent hinges. Quiet, furtive footsteps approached her bed, and a slender finger pulled back the blankets enough to uncover more of her face, much to her dismay.

Warm, caring emerald eyes peered in at her.

"Are you feeling any better, little rose?" Pyrrha asked gently.

"No," she replied, her voice faint and muffled.

The redhead let out a soft sigh, placing a hand on her forehead. "I do not think you are running a fever anymore… but you're still warm."

Ruby let out a noncommittal grunt, closing her eyes and leaning into the contact. She could hear Pyrrha's soft giggle as her hand slipped down to caress her cheek.

"I hate to see you like this," the tall redhead whispered.

There was a rustling, and Ruby felt the bed sway slightly as the mattress moved from another body's presence. Ruby peeled her aching eyes open once more to regard another set of amber orbs from the end of her bed.

"I brought you some soup," Blake murmured. "Do you feel like you could try some?"

Ruby sighed. "Do I hafta move?"

"Mmhmm."

"Then no."

"Ruby…" Pyrrha sighed.

"No, it's alright," Blake assured their girlfriend. "We can always warm it up later. You should get to class, sweetie."

Pyrrha nodded somberly. "I wish I could stay… but…"

"You need to take Oobleck's exam," the Cat Faunus finished for her. "I have Weiss taking notes for us, go on ahead."

Pyrrha smiled, leaning up to capture Blake's lips in a warm kiss. The sight made Ruby smile slightly as well, her sunken spirits elevated a bit from watching the affection her girlfriends showed each other.

"Very well, then," Pyrrha sighed once more. She bent over to place a quick kiss on Ruby's forehead. "I shall see you both as soon as I can."

"Love you, Pyrrha," the brunette mumbled, her smile widening.

"Love you too, little rose. And you, kitty cat."

Blake just smiled and nodded as she settled down over the covers behind where Ruby was ensconced. "Can I get you anything?" she asked quietly once Pyrrha had left.

"No…" Ruby replied, wiggling around so that she could face her. "Just snuggles."

"I can do that," Blake affirmed, wrapping an arm around Ruby's huddled body and pulling her in close. "Just try and close your eyes, okay? Get some rest."

"Mmkay," she sighed.

This was better, having Blake next to her, keeping her warm… keeping her safe and loved. It would have been even better were Pyrrha here, but she had to get to class, she knew that. In fact, Blake really should have been there too, not staying behind to take care of her like this.

She was so pathetic to be this… this _needy_. Once again she felt like a little child who required someone to look after her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered morosely.

"Whatever for, little rose?"

She sniffled again, feeling the hot tears gather under her closed eyelids. "For being such a problem."

"Oh, sweetie, no…" Blake began to softly run her hands through Ruby's hair, quelling her despondent train of thought. "You are never a problem. I love you, and I would want nothing more than to be here for you when you need me. Just as I know you or Pyrrha would be there for me were I to need it. Don't ever think of yourself as a burden, alright?"

"'Kay," the brunette mumbled, leaning into her touch once more. "Can… you keep doing that?"

"Of course, little rose."

Blake tucked her chin over Ruby's head as she continued to stroke the brunette's hair, letting her fingers run through the red-tipped strands.

Ruby let out one final contented sigh as her girlfriend began to purr softly, and she fell asleep to the sounds of the soothing rumble.

* * *

Pyrrha considered herself many things. A warrior first and foremost, certainly. Since coming to Beacon, she'd learned the value of being a team member and partner. She'd become a better friend to many. And, most recently, a girlfriend to two amazing women who she truly loved with all of her heart and soul.

But a nurturer? This was a new role for her, but one she was determined to master as well.

She knelt at the end of the bed, gazing down with concern at the huddled mass under the covers. "Can I get you anything else?" she murmured softly. "I could make some tea, perhaps? Or more soup?"

"No, thank you, fluffy fox," Ruby sighed. "I'm good."

"Me, too," Blake mumbled from where the covers were pulled up to her nose. The Cat Faunus, having caught the flu bug from their petite girlfriend, was snuggled in tight together with the brunette in her top bunk.

"Very well, then," Pyrrha replied somberly. She carefully lowered herself down so as not to sway the rope-fastened bunk overmuch, and nimbly hopped onto the floor. She padded over to Blake's bed in bare feet and sat down with a sigh.

_I wish I could do more…_

"Hey, Pyrrha?"

"Yes, Ruby?" she responded, perking up hopefully.

"There's one thing you could do…"

The redhead leapt back to her feet and quickly strode over to her sick girlfriends. "Yes?"

Ruby sniffled, peering at her with bleary but loving eyes. "Kisses?"

Pyrrha chuckled and hopped up onto Weiss' bed, leaning over to place a gentle kiss on Ruby's forehead and then Blake's. "Always. I love you, Ruby, and you, Blake."

"Love you too, Pyrrha," Blake mumbled sleepily.

Ruby smiled at her softly. "Love you, Pyrrha." She closed her eyes with the content smile still on her face.

Pyrrha went back to the bunk that she spent every night in now and settled down, cracking open her textbook. She had a couple of classes that she shared with both Ruby and Blake, and she was determined to know the material inside and out so that she might tutor them once they were better.

It was the least she could do for the two most important people in her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> D'awww…. Sick snuggles for a little rose and a kitty cat. I could see Pyrrha being slightly uncomfortable being the nurturing type, but quickly sliding into the role with her usual aplomb.
> 
> We're getting close to the end of the semester for the girls, but I have a couple more chapters to go through first. In fact, I'm rather pleased with how the next one turned out. Hopefully y'all will enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	41. Chapter 41

Ruby's skin glistened in the late afternoon sunlight as she went through her paces with _Crescent Rose_ , clad only in a sports bra and biker shorts due to the unseasonably warm weather. She didn't let a minor thing like the heat hold her back, she never did. This was how she excelled with her sweetheart, after all, unrelenting practice drills. Every day, without fail, unless she were too injured to risk it. She ran through her drills religiously until she could feel it, right down to her bones.

Until she became one with her weapon.

Right foot back slightly in the grass while her toes dug in for purchase, left hand extended, her scythe also held slightly back, she quickly switched positions with her feet. _Crescent Rose_ flew around her torso with blistering speed, whirling twice about her body until it was held upright in an overhand pose, ready to strike down. Then she shifted once more, sliding her bare foot back again as her grip reversed into a defensive stance, the pike end presented forward to block a blow.

She blew the sweaty strands of red-tipped hair out of her eyes absent-mindedly, wholly focused on the intricate moves as her body performed flawlessly in conjunction with the massive death-dealing weapon. Taut muscles bunched under the skin of her slender limbs, not an ounce of fat showing on her arms or thighs despite the prodigious amounts of sugar she partook of on a regular basis.

With a quick flip, she leapt over her scythe as it whirled around once more in a strike that would easily decapitate a person or smaller Grimm such as a Beowolf, before landing nimbly on her toes, crouched and ready for the follow-up strike. She swung _Crescent Rose_ once more, using her torso as the fulcrum until it was reversed again, slashing it out with blinding speed, a veritable red tornado of death.

Finally, she settled into a resting position, her scythe resting across her shoulders and behind her neck with the blade pointed down into the ground, as she sucked in great lungfuls of air. The sheen of sweat on her skin ran in rivulets down her lean torso.

It was then that she noticed she had company.

No surprise that it took the brunette this long, really, as she became so focused on her form during her drills, but she let an eager grin slip across her face as she noticed who it was.

And then, when she got a closer look at Blake and Pyrrha, sitting with their hands entwined on the grass far enough away they weren't in any danger of evisceration, her grin widened considerably.

Both girls were panting lightly, their eyes dilated and transfixed on Ruby's lean, muscular body. Pyrrha was licking her lips almost neurotically, while Blake seemed to be keeping her unoccupied hand clasped around a fistful of her vest as if preventing it from roaming anywhere indecent in public.

The sight made the petite brunette very, very pleased.

She shifted her stance slightly to present herself in profile, the scythe still hanging off her powerfully-muscled shoulders negligently.

"See anything you like?" she murmured coyly.

" _Oum_ , yes," Pyrrha gasped, quickly slapping a hand over her mouth to prevent further embarrassing outbursts.

Blake barked out a sharp laugh, shaking her head slowly while her Faunus ears twitched under her bow. "Ruby… I have so very many things I could say right now…"

"Oh, yeah?" she grinned salaciously, breaking _Crescent Rose_ down into its compact form before sauntering over. The brunette made sure to put a little extra sway into her steps. "Like what?"

She got to just within arm's reach when Blake's hand shot out with preternatural speed, grabbing her by the front of her sports bra. Ruby let out a startled _eep_ as the raven-haired girl brought her down to eye level.

"Like you're good enough to eat right now," the Cat Faunus murmured, her amber eyes shining brightly in the setting sun.

Pyrrha sucked in a quick breath next to them. "My thinking precisely," the redhead groaned quietly.

"Now, now, kitty and fox can't play like that in public," Ruby snickered, though her own breaths were still rapid, and not just from the workout. "That'd be indecent."

"Fuck indecent," Blake growled softly before bringing Ruby down and into a rough, passionate kiss. Ruby collapsed onto her lap as she dropped the scythe to the side, wrapping her limbs around her girlfriend and uncaring as to how sweaty she got her. And then she felt Pyrrha, decorous and publicly timid Pyrrha, as she moved in, pressing up against her and licking the sweat off of her arm and shoulders.

The brunette squirmed and moaned, her pleased sounds muffled as they were swallowed by Blake. _Gods_ , she loved the feeling of Blake's tongue against hers, of Pyrrha's quick, nimble fingers, both of her girlfriend's warm bodies encircling her, especially with her being so scantily clad…

"Is this a bad time?" a humorous, high-pitched voice called out.

The three of them broke apart gasping, quickly trying to reassemble their skewed clothing. For Ruby, it required a quick adjustment to the sports bra that she'd been awfully close to slipping out of.

"O- Oh, hey there, Weiss!" the brunette stammered breathlessly. "Um… how long were you standing there?"

The heiress stood with her arms crossed and a smirk on her regal face. "Not too long. But I thought I'd step in before things got out of hand and you were brought up on charges of public indecency."

All three of them were blushing a bright red at being caught, not just making out heavily, but right out on the training fields no less.

"Right," Blake murmured, clearing her throat. "Sorry about that."

Weiss waved a small hand about airily. "Oh, no worries. You had some amateur filmmakers on site, but I froze their scrolls solid." She smiled slightly at her partner's appreciative snicker. "So, shall we?"

"Um, yeah, I need to grab a shower first, okay?" Ruby interjected, scrambling to her feet.

"I… should get one as well now," Blake admitted bashfully as she also regained her footing, helped up by both Pyrrha and Ruby.

The redhead was still blushing furiously. "Me too," she squeaked.

"Well," the brunette smirked. "It'd go faster if we all took one together."

"Ruby!" Pyrrha admonished, while Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, laughing quietly.

Blake, though, shot Ruby a smoldering look. "Not _that_ much faster," she murmured, just loud enough to be heard.

Now it was Ruby's turn to blush again. "Yes, well… I suppose not… Anyway! Let's get back so we can get started, okay? I'll run ahead and get mine first, then meet you in the library, Weiss!"

"Sounds good," the heiress waved her off amicably.

Ruby darted in to give Blake and Pyrrha quick kisses before she flew off in a burst of rose petals, _Crescent Rose_ in hand.

* * *

"I do appreciate you inviting me for this," Weiss murmured from her side of the study table in the library. It was the week before finals, and the following evening the library would be locked down, the rules strictly enforced to allow for the massive amounts of cramming required for the final exams at Beacon. For now, though, the noise regulations were considerably relaxed.

 _As was Weiss, come to think of it_ , Ruby mused. Ever since she'd begun sharing a bed with her big sister (and she had a sneaking suspicion they were doing _quite_ a bit more than just sleeping) the white-haired girl was so stress-free she almost seemed to be a different person.

Granted, she still studied and worked like a girl possessed when needed but she was far, far more relaxed in going about it.

Out loud, however, Ruby gave a chuckle. "You say that now, but are you truly prepared to face my wrath?"

"Oh, bring it, dolt," Weiss laughed lightly. "I'm dating your sister, nothing scares me anymore."

The other three at the table let out delighted laughs of their own. "Oh my Oum, Weiss!" Ruby giggled excitedly. "You're making jokes!"

"I think Yang has managed to tame the Ice Princess," Blake deadpanned, though her amber eyes twinkled with humor.

"Indeed," Pyrrha smiled. "It would seem your relationship is… fulfilling?"

Weiss blushed brightly, immediately confirming Ruby's suspicions as she coughed lightly into her fist. "Yes, well… isn't it your turn, Ruby?"

"Right…" Ruby peered at her cards intently. "Very well, then… Atlas, prepare for battle!"

"Come at me, Vale scum!" Weiss retorted.

"Oh I shall, I shall indeed… I launch a naval attack against your shores!" Ruby slapped down a series of cards. "With aerial support and an elite battalion of troops! Let the invasion begin!"

"Well, that certainly does sound intimidating," the heiress replied, gazing across the board game as Ruby pushed her forces across. "Fortunately, though, I only need to delay you. I play Winter Storm, you lose your actions for the rest of this turn."

"What?" Ruby barked out incredulously. "What do you mean, delay?"

"Well, my dear partner," Weiss grinned, her ice-blue eyes twinkling, "I do believe it is my secret ally's turn next."

"Ally?" Ruby's wide silver orbs turned to regard her traitorous redheaded girlfriend. "Pyrrha, you _didn't…_ "

"Sorry, little rose," Pyrrha murmured unabashedly. "This is war, after all. For the glory of Mistral, I attack your naval fleet with my flock of baby Nevermores to engage your air forces, as well as my own fleet. Regrettably, your elite battalion is still being transported and cannot participate."

"But they can sink with the ships!" Ruby wailed in horror as the full ramifications of this disaster crashed down upon her. "Blake, help!"

"Sorry, sweetie," Blake murmured, gazing intently at her cards. "Vacuo is still reeling from your last attack. Besides that, I do believe the majority of my population wishes for nothing than for Vale to burn to the ground."

"Noooo my precious fleet!" Ruby moaned as Pyrrha's forces picked her's apart with ease. "It was well-fought, my valiant heroes… you will be avenged…"

Once Pyrrha's backstabbing was complete and Vale was left woefully undefended, it was Vacuo's turn to take the field. Instead of performing any offensive moves, Blake simply discarded some of her hand and drew new cards.

"Blake, you can't just sit there behind your borders," Weiss chided gently.

"Watch me," the Cat Faunus murmured, her amber eyes dancing between her cards and the board.

Atlas was up once more, and Weiss took a certain amount of delight in sending her forces crashing against the now-weakened Vale military. Ruby struggled valiantly, but eventually towards the end of the turn she was left with only a couple of militia units and a single hunter team.

"You can't kill the hunter team!" the brunette pleaded, cupping her hand over the figure protectively. "It's us, Team Ruby! You wouldn't kill us, would you?"

The glint in the heiress' eyes would have made lesser beings scurry for cover as she plopped one last card down. "Deathstalker," she announced triumphantly.

Ruby recoiled from the offending card, holding her hands to her cheeks in dismay. "You monster!" she declared.

Somehow, though, the tattered remains of Vale managed to defeat the last opponent, at the expense of both militia units. Ruby was left with one, final, solitary unit. "My precious," she hissed, glaring at her partner as she once again cupped her hand over the playing piece. "We will stand defiant!"

"Stand all you want," Weiss declared smugly, turning to her ally. "She's all yours, Pyrrha."

The redhead gazed at the board idly before looking back up at Weiss, her emerald eyes dancing with malicious glee.

"Oh, no," Weiss breathed.

"Oh, yes," Pyrrha smirked.

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?"

"But… we were allies!"

"'Were' being the operative word here."

"Pyrrha…"

The leggy woman placed her cards upon the table with a heavy gesture. The topmost one made the other three gasp.

"Grimm Invasion," Pyrrha declared, spelling out the form that the Atlesian military's doom would take.

"Noooo…." Weiss wailed inconsolably as Pyrrha proceeded to sweep away all of the remaining Atlas forces remaining at home, only to replace them with several Mistral-colored Grimm units.

"Serves you right," Ruby chuckled darkly, giving her redheaded girlfriend a high-five.

"At least I still have my invasion force," the heiress mumbled, her head lying on its side atop her crossed arms on the table. "They can reclaim my lands…"

"About those…" Pyrrha smirked as she slid the Grimm Invasion card aside, revealing the underlying pair. "Supply Chain Raid and Insurgents. Your forces only have one turn to do so before they expire."

Weiss shot upright, her face stricken. "You shall pay dearly for these crimes against Atlas," she whispered brokenly.

Pyrrha raised an eyebrow in a manner much like Blake. "You… and what army?"

"Ohhh, nice burn, Pyrrha!" Ruby chuckled, greatly enjoying the ire of her partner. "My turn, right?"

The others nodded as Ruby shifted through her cards. "Hmm… okay, then… well…" She sighed inconsolably. "Yeah, I only got one thing I can do… sorry Blakey…"

She shifted her hunter piece, which was closer to the Vacuo border than anything, towards Blake's side of the board. It was joined by a pair of Beowolves in the Vale colors as Ruby placed down a solitary reinforcement card.

"Sooo if I win this one battle, I get to claim the border territory," Ruby said, chewing on her lip pensively. "It's all my forces, but… if the Atlesian military dies off… then I can head back and reclaim Vale! Okay, so, who ya gonna send against me, Blake?"

The Cat Faunus pursed her lips thoughtfully before sliding a single card, face-down, over to her petite girlfriend. With a certain amount of trepidation, Ruby slowly flipped it over to reveal…

"Massive Propaganda?" Ruby gasped, shocked. "But- But- But that means…."

"Every enemy unit in my territory becomes mine," Blake smiled smugly. "Don't worry, though, little rose, at least Team Ruby will survive."

"Yeah, as Team Traitors," Ruby grumbled, tossing her remaining cards over to the raven-haired girl. "Whelp, you got the last of my pieces, you get my hand."

On her own turn, Blake simply repositioned some of her forces, quite inexplicably in the eyes of the other players. She kept her now-increased hand intact and passed the turn over to Weiss.

The Atlesian military, unfortunately, had a rough time of it, and was unable to reclaim Atlas itself. At the end of the turn, Weiss was forced to remove almost all of her remaining pieces off of the board. A pair of hunter teams were left in the northern reaches of the country and given enough time (and no enemy reinforcements) they stood a decent chance at defeating the leftover Grimm, as they had a bonus against such units.

Weiss drew new cards, grumbling the whole while. "Well, _that_ would have been helpful this turn. Oh, and look, _that_ would have saved me two turns ago. The card gods are against me, I swear…"

Once it was her turn, Pyrrha ignored the struggling Atlas remnants and instead began moving her now-massive military forces to the west, the ranks of mechs and hunters and the like approaching the land of Vacuo with an air of implacability.

Skipping over the morose and army-less brunette, Blake regarded her hand thoughtfully, eyeing the encroaching forces. "Weiss," she began conversationally. "How would you like to help the cause?"

"What do you mean?" the heiress asked skeptically before her eyes widened at the card Blake placed on the board. "Recruitment?"

"Up to three units from any one military," the Cat Faunus agreed levelly. She swapped the two Atlesian hunter teams for ones in her colors. "Your cards, please?"

Pyrrha looked on in horror as Blake's hand now swelled with cards, and the merry twinkle on those amber orbs did nothing to reassure her. "Blake, sweetie?" she began meekly. "Just remember how much I love you, okay?"

"And I love you too, my fluffy little fox," Blake smirked. "But… I'm afraid Mistral is going down."

"Wait… you cannot possibly have…"

"A certain combination of cards?" Blake's smirk widened knowingly. "Why yes, yes I do."

She emptied most of her hand down on the board. In rapid succession, the entirety of Pyrrha's Grimm forces switched sides, her aerial forces were all destroyed, naval units sabotaged so as to be at half strength and unable to resist the boosted and furious onslaught of Vacuo's navy, which, while small, consisted of higher technology, and, finally, any Mistralian unit in a desert region was swallowed up, never to be seen again.

Weiss and Ruby gazed at what was left on the board with a not-inconsiderable amount of reverence. "Wow, kitty cat," the brunette breathed. "That was… majestic…"

"Like a finely orchestrated ballet," Weiss added, awed and humbled. "You, Miss Belladonna, are a master strategist."

"Why, thank you both," the Cat Faunus smiled, glancing up at her redheaded girlfriend.

Pyrrha was still in shock at how quickly her entire military had been so effortlessly dismantled. "I don't know what to say…" she whispered.

"Hey, guys!" Yang said cheerfully as she strode up, freshly showered from her own workout. "How's it… oh, wow. Who's Vacuo?"

Three sets of fingers pointed at Blake, who was sitting back with her arms crossed and the kind of smug look on her face reserved for a cat having finished up the last of the cream.

"Damn, kitten, nice job on routing the others!"

"Thank you, Yang," she grinned.

The blonde looked over at her in shock. "What, no protest about using 'kitten'?"

Blake shrugged. "The conqueror is in a generous mood."

"She's just excited to win our wager," Ruby snickered.

"What's that now?" Yang asked with a grin of her own, seeing the blush creep across Blake's cheeks.

"Winner gets to be in the middle," Ruby replied in a stage whisper.

"Wait, what if I were to win?" Weiss retorted.

"Eh, then we'd just rotate like usual," the brunette waved off her concern. "So, do you concede the fight, Mistral?"

Pyrrha glumly looked between the few beleaguered forces left inside her starting area and her hand, before placing her cards face-down on the table. "The valiant forces of Mistral admit to defeat," she sighed morosely.

"Whelp, that's our cue to leave, then," Yang snickered, pulling gently on Weiss' arm. "C'mon, babe, let's go get some dinner in town and give them their privacy."

"And we get the room later tonight, correct?" Weiss demanded as she let Yang pull her to her feet. "After dinner?"

"Yep, yours from eight to ten," Ruby nodded. "That's what the schedule said, right?"

"It did, thank you, Ruby," her partner smiled. "And thank you all for a fun afternoon."

"Have a good time!" Pyrrha waved to them as they left.

"So…" Blake murmured, her amber eyes shining with anticipation. "Can we pack up and get back to the room, already?"

No sooner had she finished speaking then there was a flurry of rose petals drifting down onto the now-empty table. The game was boxed up and in Ruby's hands while she stood by the door, grinning widely.

"Well, come on, then!" the brunette giggled, racing out the door.

With quick shared grins of their own, Pyrrha and Blake leapt to their feet and ran after their girlfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woof, another slightly longer one, but I didn't want to just stick Ruby's drills out on their own. I thought it worked better as a lead-in to the World of Remnant game. Always wanted to put that in a story, too. Really would be nice to have a physical game to play irl… Anyways, I'm just really pleased with how this chapter came out all around. I had sooo much fun writing it.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	42. Chapter 42

It was finally the end of the semester, exams were done and thoughts of summer relaxation was on the minds of the students at Beacon as they busied themselves packing their rooms up.

Well, most students, save for one particular covert Cat Faunus who was mulling something over in her head that she'd been hesitant to bring up with her girlfriends, though she'd certainly longed to do so.

The three of them, Ruby, Pyrrha, and Blake, were all heading to the Xiao Long residence for the first two weeks of summer break on the island of Patch. Weiss and Yang were joining them as well, the five of them traveling together. After that, the trio would spend the latter half of summer in Mistral with Pyrrha's family while Weiss and Yang headed to Atlas, much to the blonde's private chagrin.

Blake was unconcerned with thoughts of her own family... if she'd even had any left. They were certainly never there for her in the past, and she would not spare any effort in contemplating what they were up to now.

However, at that point in time, she stood over the duffel bag that rested on her debunked bed. They'd had to actually return their room to the original specifications, which was strange enough to see. Fortunately, there was a storage facility there on campus, so long as their belongings were boxed up and well-labelled, they would be in their room when they returned back to school again in a month. Right now the raven-haired girl just needed to be concerned with enough to last her that month.

She looked through what she'd packed so far, a few books both old and new to tide her over, casual outfits and a spare battle outfit, a nice dress in case they went out to eat. A weapon repair kit and some spare parts for _Gambol Shroud_.

It was her toiletries that she was currently staring at, lost in thought.

Ruby and Pyrrha had returned alongside the Cat Faunus from Team JNPR's room earlier, having helped Pyrrha pack up so that she might return the favor. Weiss and Yang had already finished and left with their travel bags to go wander the grounds for a bit after they dropped their luggage off at the airbus platform. Behind the raven-haired girl, her girlfriends were currently joking around while boxing up the last of Ruby's school supplies before finishing up with her month-long bags.

Blake's ears, let loose from the bow now that she was back in her room, twitched slightly as she became aware of the sudden silence in the room.

Unsurprisingly, a pair of arms slipped around her waist while a warm body pressed up behind her. She smiled softly as Pyrrha nuzzled into her hair, inhaling her smell before placing a gentle kiss right in-between her Faunus ears.

"What's up, kitty cat?" Ruby asked cheerfully as she perched on the bed next to her bag, reaching over to run a small, calloused hand along her arm.

Blake pursed her lips briefly. "I… wanted to talk to the two of you about something."

"What's wrong?" Pyrrha asked softly, her breath tickling her furry ears and making them flicker once more.

"Nothing is… wrong." Blake carefully peeled the redhead's arms away from her and led the leggy girl over to sit next to Ruby. Silver eyes and emerald green ones looked up at her with caring and wholehearted love, silently telling her that whatever she was about to say, they would help or understand or at the very least accept.

"So, let me just… Just hear me out, here," Blake began hesitantly. "I… want you to understand where I'm coming from before you… react any. Is that acceptable?"

"Of course, Blake," the redhead smiled.

"You know you can tell us anything, Blakey," her brunette girlfriend chirped, leaning over to rest her head on the shoulder of the taller girl sitting next to her.

Blake nodded slowly. "I know, I do, truly. This is just… not something I've talked about, with anyone really who isn't a Faunus." She took a deep breath and laced her fingers in front of her as she tried to gather her thoughts.

_These are your girlfriends, the two people you trust more than anybody in the world, even your partner… They know you and love you and accept you for who you are. Just tell them._

Her voice started out in a hesitant whisper but got slightly more confident as she went on. "There are many misrepresentations of Faunus, whether it be in the media or news, even some so-called scientific texts purposefully get things wrong. I haven't really… tried to correct any of this, it's been enough for me to have the both of you… love me, just for who I am." She glanced up, her amber eyes already getting a bit misty. "I cannot thank you enough for that."

She was heartened by the brilliant smiles her girlfriends sent her way, but they obediently remained silent, waiting or her to finish.

Blake decided it was a testament to Ruby's love and devotion, in particular, that the normally excitable girl was able to adhere to her wishes.

"Some of our Faunus traits and attributes carry over from the… animalistic picture that humans paint regarding us." Her ears twitched on the top of her head unconsciously. "Others are particular to us as a species."

The raven-haired girl twisted her hands in front of her uncomfortably. "One of the… concepts of Faunuskind that is usually glossed over is the idea of... Mates." Her voice dropped back into a bashful whisper as she said the last word, and she had to clear her throat in embarrassment. "It is… something more than marriage, really, as it is a lifelong commitment and, well… it requires an enormous amount of trust and affection. Primarily, though, respect is key to joining with a true Mate."

Blake glanced up to see how the others were taking the information so far and was gladdened to see the both of them listening to her, enraptured and hanging off of each word as if they were hungry for more.

_I suppose I really haven't been all that forthcoming about such things, have I?_

"So… I'm not saying, you know… that what we have is…" Blake coughed into her fist lightly as she stumbled over her words. "It can be, and… potentially, yes… Anyway, one of the first stages of, erm… Mating, is the sharing of… scent."

She closed her eyes, inhaling the aromas from around the room, easily able to pick out the individual smells of her girlfriends. "Scent is a very powerful attribute for Faunus," she continued quietly, her eyes still closed. "It identifies us, marks us… unites us as families and friends and… er… lovers."

Blake opened her eyes and glanced quickly at her bag. "So, the point of all this is… That is, if you're both willing…" She swallowed thickly, clasping her hands together tighter to not betray her nervousness. "If it isn't too much to ask, would you want to… for the summer, at least… use my shampoo?"

She looked at her girlfriends then, a hopeful gleam in her eyes, but was met with confusion.

"Um, is that it?" Ruby asked hesitantly.

Blake nodded. "It's… Well, it may seem trivial to you, but this is… a huge deal for Faunus."

"So, you would like for us to carry your scent," Pyrrha mused slowly. "I'm certain our… scents blend somewhat anyway, with how much time we spend together…" Blake nodded again in response, and the redhead continued on. "So by the three of us sharing your scent that strongly… that would indicate to unfamiliar Faunus that we are… yours?"

"Yes, precisely," Blake nodded again, somewhat relieved that Pyrrha had been able to follow what she was asking.

Ruby stared up at her with wide silver eyes. "So you wanna claim us?"

"Um…" Blake blinked her eyes uncertainly. "I… don't know if…"

"'Cause if that's the case," the brunette suddenly grinned widely. "I'm all for the idea! Hey, what else could we do? I mean, there's conditioner, body lotion, and hand lotion… oohhh, deodorant too… Do you have enough of all that to share, Blakey?"

"If not, we could always shop for more in Patch," Pyrrha smiled. "I like the smell of lavender, I certainly don't mind doing the rest either."

As the two of them looked enthusiastically back up at their girlfriend, Blake felt the tears begin to flow down her cheeks. "You… really? You don't mind?" she whispered incredulously.

"Of course not, kitty cat!" the brunette laughed, jumping up to wrap her small, strong arms around her waist. She was quickly joined by Pyrrha who also encased her into a warm hug.

"Whyever would we mind?" the redhead murmured. "We love you, Blake. We would do anything for you, you should know this."

"I do, I do know that, it's just…" Blake sniffled, her voice muffled as she pushed her face further into Pyrrha's shoulder. "It's just a bit overwhelming. I do love you both, so very much…"

"We love you too, Blakey," Ruby laughed lightly. "And maybe… Maybe sometime you can explain a little more about how this whole Mating thing works? I'm kinda interested, now."

"Me too," Pyrrha admitted. "I'd like to know what is involved."

"You two are the best thing that has ever, ever happened to me," Blake sobbed, unable to keep her emotions in check any longer. "I don't know what I can possibly do to feel like I deserve you."

"Don't have to do a thing," Ruby replied with simple cheer. "Just be who you are, that's all we ever ask for."

The Cat Faunus stood in the embrace of her girlfriends and gladly welcomed their accepting love, letting the tears of unfounded fears cleanse her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kitty cat fluff! So, I'm not really gonna get too much into the whole Faunus Mate thing anytime soon, though I certainly intend to do so with Pearls on a String. I draw heavily from the inspired ideas in OmegaInfinity's Linked in Life and Love. It's a Pollination take without the Enabler, and it's really quite brilliant. Anyways, I'm using that as headcanon, because it's fantastic.
> 
> I'm actually unhappy with the first part of the chapter, it seems so… disjointed. But every time I tried to fix it, I made it worse. Sigh.
> 
> Next up, we travel to Patch!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	43. Chapter 43

Pyrrha gazed out the window of the airbus, watching the scenery fly by beneath them as they left the city of Vale and Beacon Academy behind. She turned to face her girlfriends, Ruby snuggled up into her side and Blake next to the brunette, her hand clasped with Ruby's in the smaller girl's lap. The redhead smiled softly, reaching across to cup the entwined fingers affectionately.

"So, you've told us what Patch is like," Pyrrha said softly. "What about your father? What kind of man is Mr. Xiao Long?"

A quick bark of laughter forestalled what response Ruby might have made, and the three of them looked up at the couple sitting across from them. Yang was sitting more or less sideways with Weiss curled up on her seat, her head resting drowsily on the blonde's lap with a contented smile on her face.

"First off, don't call him Mister or Sir," Yang chortled. "I mean, yeah go ahead when you meet him, but he's gonna insist on Tai right off the bat anyways."

Ruby nodded, her red-tipped hair brushing up against Pyrrha's nose, widening her smile. "Yep, pretty much. Think of Yang as a guy, and there you go."

"Hey!" Yang protested. "I'm not _that_ bad!"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Oh, really, big sis?" she scoffed. "Confident, good looks, charming…" She was ticking off each point on a finger as she went along. "...Protective, overbearing…"

The brunette's voice trailed off at the end, and she looked up at Yang. Both of their eyes widened slightly as they shared a realization.

"Oh my Oum," Ruby squeaked. "I've never taken someone home to dad before!"

The blonde shook her head solemnly. "Rubes, you've never had a serious relationship before." She shot a smirk at first Blake and then Pyrrha. "And then you had to make up for lost time with two at once."

The brunette stuck her tongue out at Yang, the sight of which distracted Pyrrha and caused her mind to wander slightly in all the wonderful ways the petite girl was so very talented with said tongue… She blinked her eyes, focusing back into the conversation, as Blake suddenly spoke up.

"Should we be worried?"

"It's… Nah, we'll be fine," Ruby assured them. "I mean, he's had enough practice with all the boys and girls Yang brought home…"

"Ruby…" the blonde growled warningly, though Weiss just chuckled mildly.

"It's fine, sweetie, I'm under no illusions as to your past proclivities." The white-haired girl glanced across at the other three. "I suppose he'll want to have a word with us… girlfriends."

"Undoubtedly," Pyrrha murmured, feeling her stomach drop slightly. _No, this is fine, Nikos, you've fought in tournaments in front of thousands, been broadcast on live vid… One man will not be a problem._

 _Are you so sure about that?_ her nerves replied archly.

_Of course I am… mostly… I think…_

_Yeah, didn't think so,_ her nerves stated smugly.

_Oh, hush, you._

In response, she felt her pulse begin to race and sweat bead upon her forehead.

 _Thanks_ so _very much for that._

The redhead glanced aside towards Blake, and took some comfort in the fact that the normally unflappable girl looked to be just as nervous, her eyes slightly wider and darting about.

"Guys!" Ruby chirped, tuned in as usual to her girlfriend's moods. "It's gonna be fine! Honest! He'll just sit you down and have a talk, that's all!"

"Maybe a few threats," Yang stated nonchalantly. "I mean, I did get my strength from him, you know…"

"Yang!" the brunette hissed. "Not helping here!" She pointedly eyed her partner, who was now slightly paler as she stared up at Yang.

"Oh… Yeah, no worries, babe, it'll be fine. Really!" Yang flashed her girlfriend her best reassuring smile.

"Sweetie," Weiss began with unnatural calmness. "If I die today, I shall haunt you for the rest of your life."

Yang laughed weakly. "Ha ha, ha, yeah, such a kidder…"

* * *

The airbus touched down at the main landing pad for Patch right on schedule. As soon as they were allowed to disembark, they carted their bags out so as to pile them just off to the side. Blake and Pyrrha stood watch over the luggage while Yang, Ruby, and Weiss headed over to the cargo compartment to pull the blonde's beloved motorcycle, Bumblebee, out.

"It's funny," Pyrrha mused, watching the three of them struggle, impressed despite herself at the effort Weiss was making to help. "I never even knew Yang had a motorcycle."

Blake nodded, her eyes also fixated on their labors. "She didn't have much chance to use it, but it's come in handy at times." She glanced aside at the redhead, her amber eyes dancing merrily. "She took me on a ride a couple of times. It was… exhilarating, to say the least."

"You don't say. I wonder if she would mind taking me out sometime over the next two weeks?"

The Cat Faunus snorted softly. "If you can convince Weiss. I have a feeling she will be manipulating all of Yang's time on it. Do you see how hard she's trying to help?"

"Oh, I see," Pyrrha grinned. "So she's been looking forward to riding, then?"

"Well, I can't imagine she's ever had the experience."

"True enough."

A rough clearing of a throat interrupted their conversation. "So, you would be Blake and Pyrrha, then?"

The pair of huntresses-in-training spun about to face a tall, broad-shouldered man with rugged good looks, a broad smile that could melt the hearts of anyone he might direct it upon, and short locks of golden hair that matched the rough stubble across his chin.

In short, a male version of Yang.

"O- Oh, er, Mr. Xiao Long!" Pyrrha stammered, giving a half-hearted wave. "Hello!"

Blake nodded to him with a nervous smile plastered on her face. "Yes, my name is Blake Belladonna, and this is my girlfriend, Pyrrha Nikos."

He nodded genially towards them, fists planted on his hips. "I see. And also my little Ruby's girlfriends, is that right?"

"Um… Yes, sir," the raven-haired girl replied meekly.

He gave a small noncommittal grunt before a blur of red tackled him from the side.

"Hey, dad!" Ruby exclaimed from where she was wrapped around his upper torso like one of Nora's sloths. "Didja meet my girlfriends?"

"I did, and hey yourself, squirt. Did you grow on me again?"

"It's all the milk!" she giggled happily, nuzzling her father's arm as he wrapped his other arm around her. Both Pyrrha and Blake couldn't help but smile at their girlfriend's affectionate exuberance at seeing her parent again.

"I'd say the good habits helped too, but that's not the case much anymore," Yang chortled as she walked Bumblebee up, Weiss pacing her on the other side.

" _Yaaannng_ ," Ruby whined.

Taiyang set her down so that he could grab his blonde daughter up in a rough hug. "So I've heard. Good to see you, sport."

"You too, dad," Yang said softly, leaning briefly into the embrace. She stood back and held her hand to the side, clasping the heiress' in her own. "And this is my girlfriend, Weiss Schnee."

"A pleasure, sir," she said elegantly, making a quick curtsy.

"Hmm." The blonde man looked Weiss over briefly, his deep blue eyes glittering in the afternoon sunlight. "Well, let's get your stuff loaded up. You gonna ride your bike, sport?"

"Yeah, me an' Weiss will join you guys later, I'm gonna take the scenic route."

"Fair enough," Taiyang nodded genially. He grabbed hold of three bags in each hand, effortlessly toting them along to a waiting pickup truck. "Blake, Pyrrha, you two alright with sitting in the back?"

"Oh, certainly, no problem at all, sir!" Pyrrha replied with false cheer. She grabbed hold of another pair of bags, and between her, Blake, and Ruby, they had them loaded in no time. Before the pair climbed into the back, Ruby gave them each a quick kiss. The brunette then jumped into the cab next to her father, already happily chattering away.

"So," Pyrrha murmured as the dust-powered engine roared to life. "He seems…"

"Intimidating," Blake muttered uncomfortably.

"Yes, I suppose so…"

"And I thought he would tell us not to use 'sir' right off the bat?"

"Well… perhaps after we have our… talk?"

Blake swallowed nervously. "When do you suppose that will take place?"

The redhead glanced over her shoulder. Deep blue eyes met her own in the rear-view mirror, and she quickly turned back to face rearward again.

"I imagine once we get to their house."

Blake sighed and clasped Pyrrha's hand in her own. "Well, at least we'll be together for it."

Smiling, Pyrrha leaned her head down on top of the Cat Faunus', who was keeping her free hand atop her bow to make sure it stayed in place. "Indeed."

* * *

In the cab of the truck, Tai was smiling gently to himself as his youngest daughter rambled on about her past semester. Some of it he'd heard already from her mail, some of it from Yang's. But he definitely noted a marked difference in her conversation from the last time he'd seen her in person for the winter break, at least as far as the names she referred to most frequently.

"So, these girlfriends of yours," he interjected when Ruby took a moment to breathe.

"Yeah," she grinned widely. "They're awesome, right?"

He nodded calmly, glancing between the road ahead and the rear view mirror, where the raven-haired and redheaded pair were leaned up close together. "They treating you alright, squirt?"

"Dad."

He glanced aside, momentarily startled at the solemn and serious expression on his daughter's face.

_When did she suddenly become so very much like Summer?_

"I want you to understand something, right now," she began intently. "These two girls are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love them both, very much, and they love me in return, just as they love each other. I know it's… a little odd. But we make it work." She smiled brilliantly, and Taiyang felt another pang as he was reminded once more of his late wife. "I've never been happier. And you know that says something."

"Yeah, it does, squirt. Yeah, it does."

* * *

"Yang!"

"Yeah?" the blonde yelled over her shoulder as she pushed her beloved bike through the turns. The ocean glistened off to the left along the winding road that meandered eventually around to the neighborhood she grew up in.

"Can you pull over for a moment?" Weiss yelled in return from where she was pressed against the blonde's back, her slender but strong arms gripping around her waist.

Yang nodded and slowed down, pulling to the shoulder nearest the water. She shut the engine down and hopped off, trusting in the gyro-stabilization to keep her upright as always. Reaching back to help her girlfriend down, she smiled at the sleek yellow and black lines of the motorcycle she'd built from the ground up.

The alabaster-haired girl slipped her helmet off and placed it on the seat, tossing her side-ponytail over her shoulder. Her legs were a bit wobbly and bowed as she staggered to the side.

"Whoa, careful there, princess," Yang smirked, catching her around the girl's trim waist. She pulled her own helmet off with her other hand, shaking her golden tresses free.

"I'm fine," Weiss grumbled, pushing Yang's arm off. She promptly stumbled again, causing the blonde to assist her once more.

"Sure about that?"

"I'm simply a bit… shaky." Though she didn't refuse her help this time, Weiss refused to look her girlfriend in the eye. Yang could see the bright blush spreading across her cheeks, and she threw her head back and laughed wholeheartedly.

"Oh, gods… Yeah, okay, shoulda warned you about that. It's an experience if you're not used to it."

Weiss finally gave her a glare. "You actually get used to that?"

Shrugging unconcernedly, Yang led her over to the sidewall and let her sit. "Well… it does wonders for your stamina."

Her girlfriend stared at her, open-mouthed. "You… You… No wonder you last so much longer than I do!" she hissed accusingly.

Yang shrugged once more, though there was a distinct air of smugness this time. "Like I said, stamina."

"Dust-damned oversized vibrator," Weiss grumbled, sending her glare over at the motorcycle this time.

Yang slid onto the wall next to her girlfriend, bumping her shoulder. "We could walk the rest of the way..."

"Yang Xiao Long, I am _not_ walking the entirety of this island to get to your house and show up all sweaty and tired for the grilling your father has prepared for me!"

"Right…" The blonde slipped an arm around the other girl's slim shoulders, pulling the duellist into her. Weiss gladly leaned into the embrace, slipping her arm around Yang's waist as well. "You know you got nothing to worry about, yeah?"

"So you and Ruby keep saying," Weiss muttered. "I have yet to see any evidence to prove this theory of yours."

"Look, if this is gonna go the way of any of the others, he's gonna ask you some questions just to get the feel for ya. Answer 'em honestly. Even if he asks about our sex life."

Weiss broke away from the hug, her eyes wide and face flushed. "WHAT?!" she screeched.

"Easy, babe, easy," Yang chuckled, her hands held out in a calming gesture. "Dad's an easy-going guy, honest. And you already know you're not the first. He just wants to get your measure."

Weiss' mouth opened and closed, doing an admirable impression of a goldfish. "You must be joking," she finally stated flatly. "No person of upbringing would be so uncouth as to ask such a question."

"Whelp, there ya got me, princess," Yang replied a little more sharply than she'd intended. "We're just simple country folk."

The white-haired girl looked down, abashed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"No, it's okay, I'm sorry too. I get it, you're nervous. Like I said, though, just be honest." Yang gave her a toothy smile. "I gots faith in you, babe."

Weiss sighed, shaking her head ruefully. "You're just lucky I fell so hard for such a criminally attractive oaf as yourself."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, princess."

* * *

Pyrrha and Blake were seated together on the well-worn couch of Taiyang's study. It was a cozy room, smelling strongly of aftershave, old papers, gun oil, and weapons-grade dust residue. Several shelves of books and trophies lined the walls, along with a battered desk overflowing with papers, an equally battered desk chair, and an overstuffed plaid seat facing the matching couch they were on.

They held hands, perhaps a bit tighter than necessary, but it kept their nerves intact.

"Deep breaths, Pyrrha," the raven-haired girl murmured with a small grin.

The redhead nodded rapidly. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she stated, her voice a bit higher-pitched than normal.

Blake leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "I'm here with you," she said softly. "Ruby and I love you very much, everything will be alright."

"Thank you, love," the redhead replied quietly, turning her head so that she might capture Blake's lips before she pulled back. "I love the both of you so much," she breathed.

The pair of them started as the door opened to reveal the hulking form of their girlfriend's father.

"Ladies," he greeted them levelly before plopping down into the chair across from them. His eyes flickered down to their joined hands before regarding them intently.

Pyrrha caught herself before she could fidget or bite on her lower lip. _Calm… I radiate calm and peace… Channel my inner Ren…_

"First things first," he stated firmly. "Blake, there's no need for a bow inside the house."

The Cat Faunus gasped lightly. "You… er, you know about…"

"Well, I _am_ a hunter, kid. Even if Ruby hadn't told me already, I'd have noticed. Go ahead, you'll be more comfortable."

Blake hesitantly reached up and pulled her bow off, her Faunus ears flicking slightly in relief.

"So," Taiyang began after another moment's pause. "The both of you… are dating my little girl."

Pyrrha nodded rapidly. "Yes, sir."

"And you're dating each other."

Blake cleared her throat. "Er, sir… We all love each other very, very much. I realize this is a bit… unusual… but we are, in fact, a tri relationship."

"And we are very happy together as well," Pyrrha added softly.

"Hmm." Taiyang kept his implacable gaze upon them, seemingly not even blinking. "Spoke to Qrow, he had some good things to say about the two of you. Good fighters."

"Er, thank you, sir," Blake murmured.

"And you, Miss Nikos, bit of a celebrity, aren't you?"

"Not so much, really, anymore," Pyrrha smiled weakly. "I mean, in Beacon, I'm not even the top-ranked in combat."

"That so?" he asked, somewhat surprised.

The redhead nodded, her smile strengthening. "Your daughters are actually both just ahead of me."

A proud smile briefly graced Taiyang's handsome features before they settled into neutrality once more. "Well, I have one more question for you."

The girls held their breath in anticipation.

"Are you sleeping with my little girl?"

Blake and Pyrrha blushed furiously, and the both of them stumbled over themselves to try and explain themselves.

"Not exactly, no," the redhead began.

"That is, we share a bed, yes," Blake interjected.

"And perhaps a bit more…"

"...But in essence, no…"

"Er, yet." Pyrrha's blush intensified as she regretted her slip, Blake shooting her an incredulous look.

"Huh." Taiyang regarded the two of them with an expression that might have been considered perplexed. "Wasn't expecting that."

"Sir?" Blake squeaked uncertainly.

"Well, she _is_ my daughter," Taiyang huffed with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "I figured you would have by now. Just wanted to know how the sleeping arrangements would be. So, sharing a bed?"

Blake and Pyrrha nodded dumbly in unison.

"Alright, then!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together before rising. "I'll see what I can do."

He reached out and pulled the two girls up and into a strong hug that reminded them heavily of Yang. "Welcome to the family," he chuckled heartedly. "And please, no more of this 'sir' nonsense. Call me Tai."

He walked out first, the pair of bewildered girls trailing behind to meet Ruby out in the hallway.

"So, how'd it go?" the brunette whispered excitedly.

"Er, well enough," Pyrrha replied, still somewhat shell-shocked.

"Did he already drop the sex question on ya?" Ruby pressed.

"Yes, yes he did," Blake stated.

Ruby grinned cheerfully. "Cool, got that out of the way, then!"

Just then the trio turned as Weiss headed down the hallway towards them. "Hello," she began with a tremulous smile. "I'm supposed to wait for Mr. Xiao Long in his study? Is that the door behind you?"

Blake and Pyrrha shared a glance before the Cat Faunus stepped forward solemnly. She folded the surprised heiress into an uncharacteristic hug. "I am so sorry," she murmured brokenly. "At least I had Pyrrha there for me to brave… what happened."

Pyrrha quickly replaced her. "Good luck," she intoned solemnly. "I wish you well. Remember your training."

"W- What…" Weiss stammered, before swallowing. "What happened?"

The two girls shuddered, while Ruby sheltered behind them, unable to hide her grin.

"We cannot speak of it," Blake said hauntingly.

"But you will understand all too soon," Pyrrha finished with an appropriately sepulchral voice.

They turned and walked in the opposite direction, pushing the brunette ahead of them who was desperately trying to stifle her snickers.

Pyrrha glanced back to see the heiress, her face pale as a sheet, slowly enter the room as if it were an execution chamber.

Once they were around the corner they all broke down into giggles.

"We are so very bad," Pyrrha remarked, grinning widely.

"Yup," Ruby snickered. "And she's gonna kill us."

Blake linked her arms through her girlfriends'. "Might I suggest a hasty retreat?"

"This calls for ice cream!" Ruby cheered. "Let's go, there's a stand just down the block!"

The three of them scampered through the back door, laughing merrily out into the warm summer air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit longer than my usual chapters, but a lot going on. And I wanted to do proper justice to the girls' meeting Taiyang. I've never really experienced this as a parent, with my oldest she's only dated the once in high school, and my youngest is ace. I'd like to think I'd be pretty chill about the whole thing, kinda like Tai is. He's just a big teddy bear at heart. And don't worry about Weiss, you know she'll have a response for the girls next chapter.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	44. Chapter 44

Blake walked slowly next to her girlfriends, enjoying her pistachio ice cream cone. Her Faunus ears flickered in the warm breeze of the late afternoon, carrying with it the smells from the ocean.

It truly was a lovely place, and she could see how Ruby grew up the way she did in such an environment.

Even though the brunette had claimed the ice cream stand was just at the end of the block, that was a tad misleading. The houses here were set upon rather large tracts of land, spread out so that their neighbors were not usually within sight of each other through the encircling trees. So it was in actuality a good fifteen-minute walk for said ice cream.

Not that she minded in the slightest. She was enjoying herself thoroughly, and not just because of the wonderful company of her girlfriends.

"How are you doing, love?" Pyrrha murmured towards Blake before catching a stray drop of her cherry ice cream that had landed on her arm.

"I'm well, fluffy fox," she replied warmly. "Really, it's… not bothering me as much as I thought it would."

She had emerged from the house earlier with her Faunus ears uncovered and had decided to simply leave them as they were. Ruby and Yang both had related how Patch was pretty much an oasis for Faunus, as much of the anti-Faunus sentiment simply didn't trickle over to the island. There were always exceptions, of course, but she hadn't gotten any strange looks while getting her ice cream, nor did the human girl serving them hesitate at all.

The feeling of being outside, as who she actually was, for the first time in so many years, was unbelievably liberating.

"D'you think you might leave them uncovered while we're here on vacation, kitty cat?" Ruby asked, reaching up to ruffle her ears gently.

She grinned, giving her ears another flick. "I just might. I suppose we'll see." She eyed the three-scoop towering monstrosity of strawberry ice cream that loomed over her petite girlfriend's cone. "Are you going to be able to eat that before we have dinner?"

"Pfft, of course I can," the brunette scoffed. "What kind of question is that?"

"A foolish one, I know," Blake chuckled.

They strolled along for some time before reaching the dirt driveway of the Xiao Long residence, the three of them turning down and heading for the house set far back into the woods. Blake noted with amusement that her girlfriends had somehow wordlessly agreed to keep herself protectively in between them as they walked, just in case someone had decided to give her grief.

"I love you girls," she sighed happily. "And I am so very glad I get to spend the break with you both."

"Love you too, kitty cat," Ruby grinned. She skipped to the side so that she might hop up on her tiptoes to give Blake a cold, wet, strawberry-flavored kiss. "And I'm really happy you guys could come home with me."

"There is nothing that could have kept us away," Pyrrha remarked with a smile. "Patch is a lovely place. Will we get to visit more of the island tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah, definitely. Got a lotta places to go see, and I wanna go to the beach with you guys, maybe take a boat out, all kinds of fun stuff!" Ruby bounced alongside cheerfully as she wrangled with her ice cream cone. "We're gonna have a blast!"

They had to move to the side of the driveway as Taiyang's pickup truck turned down the lane, the man himself at the wheel. He paused the vehicle next to the trio.

"Not spoiling your appetite, are you?" he asked humorously.

"Nah, you know me, dad, this is just an appetizer," Ruby replied cheekily.

"Well, good thing, because I just picked up a whole truckful of pizza."

"Awesome!" the brunette cheered. "See ya in the house!"

He gave a friendly wave to them as he continued on. Blake gazed thoughtfully after the truck. "Does he know what kinds of pizza we like?" she murmured.

"Oh, well yeah, I already told 'im," Ruby replied nonchalantly. "Olives and light cheese for my fluffy fox, and anchovies with sausage for my kitty cat."

Blake changed her direction so that she was walking closer to the petite brunette and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You are so good to us," she laughed, planting a cold, wet kiss of her own on her cheek.

"Yes, you are," Pyrrha smiled.

Ruby waved away the sentiment, blushing lightly. "Eh, it's no biggie…"

They reached the house but paused as they noted a particular white-clad form standing on the porch. The slim, white-haired girl stood with rigid posture and with her arms crossed, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Um," Ruby gulped. "Maybe we didn't avoid the murder after all?"

"Don't think I don't see you there!" Weiss called out imperiously. "Get over here, you three!"

The trio slunk forward, glumly accepting their fate.

"Um, hey Weiss," the brunette began. "Sooo how was the talk with dad?"

"Fine," she huffed. "Remarkably enough, not nearly as bad as _some_ might have indicated."

Pyrrha laughed weakly, rubbing the back of her head. "Yes, well… we apologize for that, just a bit of… harmless fun… right?"

Weiss' glare was a thing of legend around Beacon. Over the past year of school, there were many hapless individuals on the receiving end who came off much for the worse, some to be traumatically scarred evermore. Ruby herself seemed to have developed a bit of an immunity towards it, perhaps only because more often than not she'd been the recipient for them.

If the three girls were under the impression that Weiss had mellowed from her new relationship with Yang, they were sorely mistaken.

"Please don't murder us," Blake whimpered, her ears flattened against her head.

"Oh, hey, Weiss!" Ruby suddenly chirped. "I got dad to order your favorite pizza! White with pineapple and mushrooms!"

As if a sudden pressure had been lifted, Blake and Pyrrha felt as though they could once again breathe. The sun was shining once more, and the looming visage of death removed.

"Thank you, Ruby," the heiress replied primly. "That was very considerate of you."

"You bet, partner!"

The two diminutive girls cheerfully walked into the house, chattering away about their plans for the following day.

Blake and Pyrrha shared a relieved look. Oddly enough, their melting ice cream cones had strangely frozen back up again.

"I believe our impending doom has been averted," the redhead murmured.

"It would seem that way…" Blake began but trailed off as the heiress poked her head back outside once more.

"Oh, and before I forget," Weiss stated with a small smirk. "You both are on kitchen cleanup duty tonight." Her white mane ducked back inside once more.

"Mmm," the Cat Faunus shrugged. "Could have been worse."

"Indeed."

* * *

After the remains of dinner were cleared away by the raven-haired and redheaded girls, they made their way back towards where Ruby had told them her room was. Once they opened the door, they were in for a bit of a pleasant surprise.

"Oh, my…" Pyrrha breathed.

"Isn't it cool?" Ruby cheered, bouncing on her toes next to the window excitedly.

At one time, Ruby and Yang had shared the room together, before the blonde moved into her own across the hallway. The spacious area still had a pair of twin beds, but they were now pushed up against each other to form one overly large, king-sized bed. Taiyang must have had appropriate sheets already from his own bed because it was made up and with a matching off-white blanket resting at the bottom.

"Your father is something else," Blake murmured appreciatively.

"Glad you think so," a male voice spoke up from behind.

Both Pyrrha and Blake let out an _eep_ of surprise, turning about to see the smirking man leaning up against the door frame. The Cat Faunus graced him with a quick glare.

"How can you even sneak up behind me?" she asked incredulously.

Taiyang gave her a cheeky wink that was pure Yang with perhaps more than a little Ruby as well. Evidently, the Xiao Long genes were quite strong, passing along more than just the good looks and powerful physique.

"So, will this work for you girls?" he asked blithely, ignoring Blake's questioning.

"It's awesome, dad!" Ruby laughed, leaping forward to give him a hug around the neck.

It was only because of her Faunus hearing that Blake could pick up her girlfriend's next murmured words. "I really, really appreciate this, dad. You're the best."

"Glad you like it, then. Alright, get some sleep, we might get some rain tomorrow or the day after so plan accordingly." He turned to leave but then paused with his hand on the door knob. "And hey, I'm really glad all three of you came to visit. Um… and make sure you lock the door, alright?"

"Yes, dad," Ruby smirked, closing the door before he could admonish further. She slid the lock shut with an audible _click_.

"Well, then, ladies," the brunette grinned. "I don't know about the two of you, but I fully intend on making the most of our very private room."

"That sounds grand," Pyrrha smiled, stripping her shirt off so that she was standing in her bra.

"Er, Ruby," Blake interjected. "Just out of curiosity… do any rooms border yours?"

"Nope," Ruby replied cheerfully. "Just the laundry room on the one side."

"I see," the Cat Faunus replied with a small grin.

Ruby nodded as she stripped off her clothing, glancing at Pyrrha who was still undressing. "Might be helpful if…?" she whispered just on the edge of her Faunus hearing.

Blake glanced at Pyrrha as well. The statuesque redhead wasn't paying attention as she walked into the adjoining bathroom to begin her nightly routine, clad only in panties. "Perhaps," she breathed with a wide smile.

 _Who knows what this summer might bring,_ she thought to herself. It sent a quick thrill of anticipation surging through her body, one she knew was shared by the petite brunette if her answering grin was any indication.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who knows, indeed… Well, okay, that's a lie, I know but I'm the writer so I don't count. But… perhaps readers of A Thorny Bind might have some clues by now, hmm? So this chapter actually takes place directly after the last one. I don't usually string them that close together, but there you go. And, in case one was curious, yes Zwei is here and in the house. I'll be going into Blake's reaction next chapter, which takes place the following morning.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	45. Chapter 45

Blake eased herself out of the bedroom, sending a last loving glance at her shirtless girlfriends curled up together on the large bed. It had taken considerable dexterity to extract herself from amidst the cuddle pile earlier, but Ruby had quickly snuggled up to Pyrrha in her sleep and didn't even pause in her soft snores.

Chuckling to herself lightly, the Cat Faunus stealthily headed outside to breathe in the crisp early morning air. The sun was just now cresting the horizon, and she was dressed in her black running shorts, purple tank top, and black athletic shoes. Shivering slightly in the cool air, she quickly stretched out on the railing before setting off in an easy jog.

It was her custom while at Beacon to take these early morning jogs, though the frequency of them had declined since her relationship with Pyrrha and Ruby began. Sometimes it was a monumental effort to extract oneself from two very cuddly women in the morning.

She made a determined effort to do just that this morning, however, her first one on the island of Patch. While her jogs always helped to clear her head and center herself, this morning she wanted to experience the beauty of the rural island that Ruby called home.

As she passed the woods that lined the road she found herself on, she marveled at the colors that the rising sun illuminated in the foliage overhead. The gentle breeze made the leaves sway about, the scintillating display like a kaleidoscope.

_I think I might do this run every morning… It is so very beautiful here, especially for a city Faunus like myself._

After about a half hour she reached the end of the road where it stopped in a small cul-de-sac. The houses there were closer together, but their back yards rested up against the beach.

Blake paused at the entrance to the small development, pacing about and swinging her arms around to take a small break before heading back. As she did, she noted two figures approaching from a side street, the both of them jogging as well. Once they got closer, Blake recognized one of them as the girl from the ice cream stand. Her companion was an unusually small Bear Faunus if her ears were any indication.

The ice cream girl immediately recognized her and gave a little wave as they slowed on their approach. "Hi there!" she said cheerfully, though a bit winded. "Lovely morning, isn't it?"

"Gorgeous," the Cat Faunus agreed. "I'm very glad I came here for the summer break."

"Ohhh, are you from one of the schools? Oh, I'm Lilly, by the way." She indicated her jogging partner with an incline of her chin. "This is my best friend, Claire."

"Blake," she replied, nodding to the two of them. "And yes, I attend Beacon, Ruby invited me to spend the summer here with her."

"Oh, yeah, I remember seeing you with her yesterday! So she's a friend of yours?"

"Er, girlfriend, actually," Blake admitted with a slight blush.

"Oh, really?" Lilly's eyes shone eagerly. "That's so cool, I never would have guessed! Oh, hey, who was the other girl with you? She looked familiar somehow, I'm not sure from where, though…"

The Cat Faunus grinned. "Perhaps from a cereal box?"

"A cereal…" The young teen's eyes widened. "OHMYGODSWASTHATPYRRHANIKOS?"

"Yes, actually…"

"Wow, Pyrrha Nikos is here on Patch… Ohhh, is she here with somebody too?"

"Er, about that… she's my girlfriend as well."

Both Lilly and Claire blinked their eyes at her uncertainly. "I don't follow you," Lilly finally stated.

"Well, you see… we're in a tri relationship. The three of us." Blake gave them a hesitant smile.

"That. Is. So. Cool." Both girls looked slightly floored, but Blake noted curiously that Claire had yet to open her mouth. "Seriously awesome," Lilly continued. "Look, we gotta get back home or my parents will miss us, they know how long our jog takes… Um, come by and visit again? If you want ice cream?"

"I will," Blake laughed. "It was nice meeting you both."

Lilly called out a cheerful goodbye as they continued on their jog, Claire just waving slightly but with a smile.

The raven-haired girl shook her head in amusement as she turned and headed back towards where her girlfriends still slumbered.

* * *

Blake wiped her face with the hem of her shirt as she paused on the porch of the Xiao Long household. Her Faunus ears were upright and twitching, searching for any noise, but all seemed quiet inside still.

She slowly opened the front door, eased herself inside, and then silently shut it behind her.

_Okay, time for a hot, refreshing shower… and then perhaps I can give my girlfriends a nice wakeup call…_

With a wide, anticipatory grin on her face, the raven-haired girl turned to head down the hallway where Ruby's room lay.

Only to pull up short.

Her heart hammered in her chest, ears flat against her head and fingers involuntarily outstretched into defensive claws. If she had a tail like some Cat Faunus did, it would have been bristling madly.

It had found her.

She'd been so careful yesterday and this morning to avoid the creature, but now it was crouched protectively in front of Ruby's closed door, ready to pounce and tear her throat out.

Zwei.

She said his name internally like the most vilest of curses. _Dust-damned demon spawn slobbering canine monster,_ she moaned fearfully in her head.

Blake slowly backed up, never taking her eyes off the small furry terror. She could just see the saliva dripping down from its extended tongue, drooling in anticipation of feasting upon her shredded remains…

_Not today, dog._

With blinding speed, Blake spun on her heel, threw the door open, and hurled herself outside once more, remembering at the last second _not_ to slam the door in the face of the likely charging beast, instead closing it as quietly yet firmly as she could.

She didn't hear the impact of its body against the door she was leaning against, panting desperately in fear, but that just meant it was more agile than she gave it credit for.

 _Don't tell_ me _they have souls, bloody monsters are as bad as Grimm… I should get_ Gambol Shroud _and…_

The Cat Faunus shook her head irritably as she rose to her feet. No, that wasn't the solution here. Aside from the fact that it would sadden her girlfriend, though she'd be sure to forgive Ruby for her lack of good judgment as she would only be protecting her, that would reflect poorly upon her as a guest.

Though she wasn't the most well-versed in the etiquette of such a situation, she was fairly certain it would be a breach of protocol for her to murder her host's pet.

"Perhaps I should ask Weiss," she murmured to herself, walking off of the porch and pacing around the quiet house. "No, she's under that beast's spell as well… charismatic little demon spawn…"

She continued her walk around, past the back door with the smaller door inset into the bottom, until she reached the window to Ruby's room. She gazed at it consideringly.

_Alright, I've done plenty of infiltration missions as part of the White Fang. I can handle a simple breaking and entering into my own girlfriend's room. First things first, I need a tool._

She looked around warily until she spied a loose nail on the side of a nearby crate which must have been used to store supplies for the garden. The crate itself was locked, but the nail would suffice.

Once it was wiggled loose, upon pulling it out she inspected it critically. Then the raven-haired girl crept back to the window, looking along the sill inside for the locking mechanism.

Only to note that it was already unlocked.

After a quick facepalm, Blake returned the nail to its origin, headed back to the window, and grasped the ledge. Ever so quietly she eased it open, just enough for her to slip through, but froze again at the sound of panting behind her.

And then her brain finally registered the back door.

With a smaller inset door.

A dog door.

She was doomed.

Her head on a slow swivel, almost afraid of what she might see, Blake turned to regard the furry monster. Its stubby little tail was wagging ecstatically now that it had her cornered, and it was eyeing her rump hungrily.

Blake let out a scared little whimper.

Zwei let out a happy little _yip_.

With a shriek of terror, Blake levered herself up and through the window, slamming it shut behind her before collapsing to the floor, trembling at the close brush with death she'd just experienced.

"Um… what's up, kitty cat?"

Her head whipped around towards the bed in the center of the room. Ruby was straddling Pyrrha, the both of them shirtless still and obviously having been making out rather intensely, if their swollen lips were any indication. In fact, Ruby had both of her hands resting comfortably on the redhead's bosom, though the two of them regarded her with some bemusement.

"Oh… ah haha… hey, there…" Blake waved weakly from the floor. "I had a nice run this morning."

"I can see that," Ruby smirked, not bothering to move her hands. "Any reason you didn't want to use the door?"

"Er…" Blake got to her feet and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "No, no reason."

"Are you alright, love?" Pyrrha asked softly, her emerald eyes shining with concern.

"Oh, yes, fine, just fine… I'm just… going to grab a shower, alright?"

"Okay, kitty cat," Ruby snickered. "You do that, and then come join us. We miss you."

Blake nodded rapidly, her grin becoming more genuine as her girlfriends both licked their lips while they watched her peel her sweaty clothes off. "Yes, absolutely… er, be right back!"

She darted into the bathroom, tossing the remainder of her clothing over her shoulder as she closed the door.

Shaking her head ruefully, Blake started up the shower, eager to finish quickly and join the amorous girls in the next room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zwei! Zwei Zwei Zwei. And so the eternal conflict continues… Personally, I read the line of "Not today, dog" in an overly dramatic voice like the movie preview announcer. "In a world overrun by canine demon spawn, one Faunus girl stands alone against the onslaught…"
> 
> Stay shiny!


	46. Chapter 46

It was a rare rainy day on Patch, but that didn't deter the five girls vacationing in the Xiao Long house whatsoever.

They'd spent the morning fairly lackadaisically so far, simply lying about the living room and socializing until Ruby shot upright from her comfortable cuddle pile with Blake and Pyrrha, her silver eyes shining excitedly.

"Guys guys guys!" the brunette squealed. "I just had the best idea! Be right back!"

Her redheaded girlfriend waved away the cloud of rose petals that now floated about her face. "Well, this should be interesting," she smiled.

"Usually is," Blake agreed, curling around Pyrrha's torso with a contented purr. "Though I was quite comfortable the way we were."

"So long as it doesn't involve any physicality," Weiss complained lightly from where she rested atop Yang's prone form on the loveseat. "Whose idea was that tortuous game last night, anyway?"

"Hey now," the blonde underneath her protested. "Twister is a time-honored game…"

"...To get within groping range, I figured that," Weiss completed for her with a smirk. "There was more of _that_ going on than anything else."

The other three girls in the room shared a round of snickers before Ruby flew back in, skidding to a stop while holding aloft a small grey game cartridge triumphantly. "Found it!"

"Whatcha got there, sis?" Yang asked.

"This," Ruby proclaimed proudly as she busied herself setting up the game console. "Is Heroes of Remnant!"

"Ohhh, nice, we haven't played that in _forever_ ," the blonde laughed, pulling Weiss up and into a sitting position with her.

"It is a… video game?" Pyrrha asked cautiously.

"Yeah, but so much more!" Ruby had her pajama-clad butt up in the air as she dug into the cabinet under the large vid screen. Both Blake and Pyrrha were eyeing her appreciatively until they were hit by simultaneous pillows thrown by Yang and Weiss.

"It's a cooperative game," the oblivious brunette continued, as more pillows began soaring through the air above and behind her. "We all get to pick characters and customize them, and it supports up to eight players at once! It's a really cool- _Awk_!"

Ruby had sat up once she'd dug out enough controllers but was promptly smacked in the face by a missile-like pillow from Pyrrha.

The redhead held her hands to her mouth in consternation as Ruby picked herself back up off of the floor. "Sorry, little rose!" she squeaked.

By the glint in the brunette's silver eyes, however, she was having none of it.

One stupendous, drag-down pillow brawl later, the casualties of which were a pair of oddly-lumped orange throw pillows which Ruby and Yang assured weren't well-liked anyways, the room was set back to order and the evidence concealed. The five girls were once again seated but with controllers in hand this time as Ruby booted up the game.

"So, what exactly is the objective of this game?" Blake asked, vainly trying to get her hair to lay back down.

"Adventure!" her brunette girlfriend replied cheerfully. "Here, I'll set my character up first, show you guys how it's done."

She selected an avatar from the screen, one that wore a cloak. They were small and squat chibi figures, but she was able to change the colors enough so that it resembled herself fairly accurately.

"And now's the best part!" Ruby exclaimed. "We get to pick the animal spirit!"

"Er, animal spirit?" Weiss asked confusedly.

"Right, gives your avatar some of the characteristics, and also gives you some abilities," Yang explained.

Ruby moved the cursor around until she selected a wolf. As she did so, her avatar sprouted furry wolf ears and a tail, looking much like a Wolf Faunus.

"And now," the brunette continued, "my agility and strength have increased, and I also get a bonus in groups, like we are! Oh, and at a higher level I can unlock 'howl', that's an AOE spell!"

"Pardon?" Pyrrha asked blankly. "What is an… AOE?"

"Area of attack," Ruby explained as Yang started her selection next. "Don't worry about it just yet, we'll figure stuff out as we go along."

Blake and Pyrrha shared a good-natured shrug, but Weiss still looked a bit concerned.

"Relax, babe, it'll be fun," the blonde snickered. She'd made her avatar with a glorious mane of blonde hair, one that reached the ground. "Someday," she sighed dreamily.

"Yang, there's no way you can keep your hair that long," Ruby snickered.

"Watch me. Alright, so… Yep, here we go." With that, Yang selected a baby dragon. The only notable change to her avatar was that it now trailed steam from her mouth.

"So now I'm like super-strong but a little slower, and I can unlock 'fire breath'," the blonde finished triumphantly. "Who's next?"

"I'll go," Blake said softly. She created hers in black and purple, and then selecting a cat, naturally. Her avatar looked pretty much as she did now with the addition of a tail.

"Mmm," she mused. "That's nice."

"You're such an adorable kitty cat," Ruby giggled, snuggling into Blake's side while Pyrrha began her selection process.

The redhead had made her character with hair the length of Yang's, but in a bright red color to match her own. "I can dream as well," she proclaimed loftily to the snickers of the others. Flipping through the animal types, her eyes lit up when she found a red fox. "Oh, how lovely!" she said with a grin. Her avatar now sported pointed red ears and a fluffy tail.

"Oh my Oum your avatar is sooo cute!" Ruby squealed, glomping onto Pyrrha excitedly. Blake was laughing as well, placing a kiss on the redhead's neck and making her blush.

"You would have made a beautiful Faunus, love," Blake murmured.

"Alright you three, break it up," Weiss smiled. "My turn."

In short order the heiress had her white-haired avatar created, and ended up selecting a snow fox, giving her matching white pointed ears and a fluffy tail as well.

"Nice," Ruby giggled. "And you can unlock 'ice blast' later!"

"That sounds like fun," Weiss replied primly. "So, now what?"

"Now," the brunette proclaimed excitedly, bouncing in her seat, "we adventure!"

* * *

"Ruby, are you even trying?" Yang complained

"Of course I am! If you could manage to actually tank for a change and keep this Dragon Grimm from chewing on me, it'd go a lot easier!" Ruby retorted.

"Er, should I try my special thingie now?" Pyrrha asked hesitantly. Her avatar had been darting in and out of combat, but without landing a significant hit. Now, though, her red icon was glowing to get her attention.

"Yeah, go ahead and hit it now, Pyrrha!"

She did so, and her avatar twirled about in a red cyclone, spinning dizzily about the screen. Once it was done, and her exhausted avatar sat on the edge of the action, the enemy collapsed, defeated.

"You did it, fluffy fox!" Ruby squealed, dropping her controller and giving the redhead a tight squeeze. "You killed the big bad guy!"

"I did?" the redhead breathed, a wide smile forming on her face. "Huh. So I did."

* * *

"Ugh, I've done this puzzle hundreds of times and I can never remember how it goes," Ruby complained.

"Is it some sort of matching?" Blake asked hesitantly.

"Kinda," Yang added, her brow furrowed. "But there's some sorta rules to how they go…"

"Am I seriously the only one who can see how this works?" Weiss asked in astonishment. Her question was met with four blank looks.

With a smirk, Weiss' avatar ran about the dungeon room, quickly rearranging tiles until the entire floor glowed a cheerful blue.

"Wow," Pyrrha said, impressed. "How did you do that?"

"Simple mathematics," Weiss answered smugly.

"No wonder I can never get that puzzle," Ruby groaned.

* * *

"Ahhhh what are these?" Pyrrha yelled frantically.

"Rats! Giant rats!" Ruby yelled back, twisting her controller about. "And there's like a literal ton of them! Keep moving, don't let 'em swarm you!"

"Can I breathe fire on 'em?" Yang asked excitedly. "Lemme breathe fire on 'em!"

"NO YANG NOT WITH US ALL IN THE SAME ROOM!" Weiss almost screamed, her avatar dancing about.

"Girls," Blake stated calmly. "I got this."

The other four watched in amazement as Blake's avatar flew about the screen, adroitly handing out death and dismemberment to every giant rat in the room.

"How did you do that?" Ruby asked in wonderment.

"Racial bonus versus vermin," the raven-haired girl smirked.

"Nice!" Yang cheered. "Let's see what loot they had!"

* * *

"And the valiant adventurers emerge from the dungeon, victorious!" Ruby cheered.

"Not to mention obscenely rich," Weiss added, a gleam in her eyes.

"And powerful," Yang laughed, giving her girlfriend a nudge. "That's a pretty badass sword you picked up, babe."

"Thanks for letting me have it, sweetie," the heiress replied.

"Nah, it's fine, I liked the scepter better anyways. Now I can do some cool dance moves."

The five of them perked up as the front door opened, revealing a rather wet and dripping Taiyang.

"Hey there, girls," he greeted them. "Anybody hungry?" He held aloft a large bag, that from the smell of it was loaded with noodle boxes.

"Starving!" Ruby exclaimed, tossing her controller to the side and grabbing hold of her girlfriends' hands to pull them to their feet.

"It can't be dinner time already," Pyrrha stated, her brow furrowed. "Oh my Oum, it is! How long were we playing?"

"Er… six hours, give or take?" Blake replied sheepishly.

Weiss bounced on her toes in a very Ruby-like manner as they followed Taiyang into the kitchen. "Yang, sweetie, can we bring that game with us back to Beacon?"

"Weiss!" Pyrrha laughed. "You would get absolutely no studying done!"

"Oh, I suppose you're right," the heiress replied glumly. "But we can still play again after dinner!"

"You bet, babe," Yang chuckled, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend's shoulders.

"I think we've created a monster," Ruby whispered.

"Perhaps," Blake whispered back, a twinkle in her amber eyes. "However, I feel the same way."

Ruby pulled back and looked at her Faunus girlfriend with a surprised smile.

"What?" the raven-haired girl said defensively. "I have only one more unlock until I can summon a swarm of attack cats! Tell me that isn't awesome!"

"No, not at all, kitty cat," the brunette chuckled. "Totally awesome."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I could have gone on a lot longer with this. And I would love a game where I could summon a swarm of adorable attack cats.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	47. Chapter 47

" _Yaaannng_! Come _on_ already!"

"I'm coming, Rubes, don't get your panties in a twist!"

"I'm not wearing panties, I'm wearing a cute swimsuit! And I wanna get to the beach! So let's _goooo_!"

Blake and Pyrrha, standing by the door with large baggy overshirts to cover their own bathing suits up, snickered to each other softly.

"Somebody's a little eager to get there," Pyrrha laughed.

"Mmm," Blake replied softly. "And also perhaps to see us in our swimsuits?"

The raven-haired girl's smile widened at the blush that covered her redheaded girlfriend's face. She stood up on her tiptoes to give her a quick peck on the lips.

"And perhaps I'm looking forward to it as well," Blake whispered.

She giggled unrepentantly as Pyrrha's blush only intensified.

Fortunately, Weiss walked up then, wearing stylish jean shorts, a bright blue tank top, and a large bag slung over her shoulder with an umbrella poking out.

"She's coming," the heiress sighed. "It'd go faster if Ruby would stop trying to hurry her, but you know how the two of them are."

"Oh, we know all too well," Blake smirked.

Finally, the blonde emerged, propelled from behind by an eager brunette. "We all set?" Yang asked cheerfully.

"Yes, we were ready a half hour ago!" Ruby grumped, grabbing the keys and tossing them to her sister. "Now let's go!"

"Alright, Rubes," the blonde replied indulgently. She raised her voice then. "Dad, we're heading out! See you soon!"

"Alright, you kids have fun!"

With that they loaded themselves into Taiyang's pickup truck, Yang driving with Weiss riding shotgun, while the others piled into the back with the bags and such. They'd brought a small cooler along as well with drinks and snacks.

"Wish we could find a beach that allows dogs," Ruby sighed. "Zwei loves the beach."

"Well, it's too late to find one of those now," Blake interjected hurriedly. "I mean, we're on our way and everything…"

"Oh, no, kitty cat, I just meant for later, you know…"

"Right. Yes, of course."

It didn't take them very long to make it to the public beach. In fact, it took them longer by far to find a decent spot near enough to the water but away from most of the crowds.

"Wow, this place is busy today!" Ruby chirped, dragging the cooler along.

Pyrrha nodded. "Well, it is a nice day today for such an activity."

Blake, walking alongside, perked up as she noted Yang and Weiss waving to them from where they'd forged ahead. "I think they found us a spot."

"Oh, goodie, let's go get set up!" the brunette cheered.

Weiss already had the umbrella up by the time they arrived, and Pyrrha laid out the two foldout lounge chairs she'd been toting while Yang spread out blankets.

"Okay, who's going in the water first?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"I will go, little rose," Pyrrha replied, "but we'd better get some sun lotion on first."

"Here, I'll do you both," Blake interjected, placing her bag next to one of the chairs. "I'll stay in the shade for now."

"Okay, thanks, Blakey!" Ruby quickly stripped off her overshirt and slipped her sandals off before coming to stand in front of the Cat Faunus with her back turned.

The brunette's bikini was a bright cherry red, with a string top and a bottom that hugged her very tight rear end in a way that only emphasized it and left her toned abs on display as well. Blake could only stare in wonderment, her Faunus ears perked upright eagerly. Even though she'd seen her girlfriend in nothing but panties, somehow seeing her like this, out in the bright sunlight…

"Um, Blakey? You gonna put lotion on me, or just ogle me all day?" Ruby smirked over her shoulder.

"Yes," Blake replied softly, causing the brunette to giggle merrily.

"Don't worry, though, you're not the only one," Ruby murmured.

The Cat Faunus glanced over to see that Pyrrha was entranced as well, her hands clenched together at her waist while her mouth hung open slightly. Deciding to give their girlfriend a little bit of a show, Blake took her time in lathering Ruby up, moving her hands around to cover as much skin as she possibly could.

The fact that she could roam her hands all over the muscular brunette and basically grope her in public was just a fringe benefit. Or so she told herself.

By the time she was finished, Pyrrha's face was bright red and she might have been panting lightly as well.

"Okay, kitty cat, let's not tease her too badly," Ruby whispered.

"She's not the only one getting teased here," Blake grumbled quietly. "And don't think I missed your moans."

"Wasn't trying to hide them, really," Ruby snickered. "Okay, your turn, Pyrrha!" she finished in a louder voice.

The redhead blinked her eyes as if coming out of a trance. "Oh, yes, right… er, here we go…"

She slipped her own overshirt off and tossed it to the side, bashfully walking over towards her girlfriends who were now both gaping at her.

Pyrrha's swimsuit could only remotely be called a one-piece. The gold suit did indeed connect, but the top was basically a very skimpy vee that began at the shoulders and ended in a point just below her navel. Her ample cleavage was truly a wonder to behold.

"Er… do you like it?" she asked the other two shyly.

Ruby cleared her throat. "Yes, yes Pyrrha we do." She turned towards Blake, a bit of a wild look in her silver eyes. "Okay, new plan. You do the back, I do the front?"

"I like this plan," Blake breathed. "I definitely can get behind this plan. Er, no pun intended."

All three of them wore furious blushes as Ruby and Blake worked together to cover Pyrrha with lotion, each trying very hard to suppress any affectionate moan that threatened to escape from their lips.

"Oh my Oum, you guys!" Yang called out as they were finishing up. "Get a room already! Sheesh!"

Ruby turned to stick her tongue out at her older sister before standing back to her feet. "Okay, then… Oh, you have to show us yours, kitty cat!"

"Very well," Blake replied neutrally. She slipped her shirt off to reveal a more or less conservative black one-piece that was fairly high-cut on the waist.

"Oh, that's nice, Blakey!" Ruby smiled. "I think it-"

She cut off as Blake turned to head back to the chair. The raven-haired girl knew very well how much her girlfriends appreciated her… rear assets. In fact, she'd once overheard a rather lengthy discussion between the two of them as they regaled each other of how magnificent they found her rear end to be. Words such as 'awe-inspiring', 'wondrous', 'to die for', and 'the pinnacle of anatomical beauty' had been tossed around, much to her simultaneous delight and embarrassment.

It was with such in mind that she had chosen her current swimsuit, conservative in all areas save for the backside, which was close enough to a thong to be borderline indecent.

It had the desired effect, however, as a soft sound came from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see that Ruby had, in fact, fallen over backward and now sat on her rump in the sand, while Pyrrha simply looked poleaxed. If the redhead could blush any harder she might just pass out.

"Woohoo, check out that Bellabooty!"

Blake shot her partner a pointed glare, but she needn't have bothered, as Weiss was quick to smack the blonde on the back of her head.

"Ruby, sweetie," the Cat Faunus said instead, turning back once more. "Now you'll have sand all over where your lotion is."

"Yeah," Ruby said dreamily. "Sand. Sure."

Weiss sat herself down in one of the seats, her white one-piece as conservative as Blake's was on the front, but almost certainly carrying the theme over to the backside as well. "Blake, I think you broke my partner."

The Cat Faunus giggled as she sat down as well. "She's so fragile."

"Well, dear, just be sure to use that, er… asset of yours in moderation."

"Mmm. Thank you, Weiss, I shall take that under advisement."

Yang evidently had enough of the other two girl's immobility, so the golden-bikini-clad girl swept Ruby up in her arms and ran with her towards the crashing waves of the ocean.

"Pyrrha! Save me!" the brunette hollered in between giggles.

"Unhand her, you brute!" Pyrrha laughed, shaking off her lethargy and sprinting after them.

Weiss and Blake shared an indulgent laugh as they watched the three of them wrestle at the water's edge, only for all three to topple over into the water.

"How long, do you suppose, before the first wardrobe malfunction?" the heiress asked humorously.

"Mmm. I give it ten minutes."

They sat in silence for a bit, content to observe their girlfriends frolic in the water and not even bothering with the books they had brought along.

"Hey, Blake?"

"Mmm?"

"You ever… wonder, sometimes, about how we got to where we are?"

Blake turned her head to regard her teammate solemnly. "I do, at times. I think about everything that brought me to Beacon, to this team. Everything that went right, and everything that could have gone wrong."

"Exactly," Weiss nodded in relief. "I'm so glad it's not just me. I mean, if I hadn't gone back for Ruby on initiation… Or even before that, if I had just gone to Atlas instead of Beacon…"

"Circumstances being what they were, it seemed almost providential that we ended up this way." Blake laid her head back and sighed. "I do wonder, though," she whispered. "What would have happened if Pyrrha asked Ruby out a day earlier? Or a day later?"

Weiss had an answering sigh of her own. "Yes… If I hadn't found the courage to ask Velvet out, and if it hadn't gone so poorly… perhaps Yang and I never would have reached where we are now, not to mention even tolerating each other."

"Oh, I think there was tolerating going on," Blake chuckled. "Honestly, Weiss, sometimes your bickering seemed to be more sexual frustration than anything."

"What? Really?"

"Really."

"Oh." Weiss looked over at the blonde currently splashing merrily at Pyrrha, who was dodging an onslaught by Ruby as well. "I didn't realize that. So perhaps the predication was there already?"

"Perhaps."

"Well… perhaps, then, the stage had already been set for the three of you as well."

Blake glanced aside, her amber eyes curious. "How so?"

"I've gotten to know my partner fairly well," Weiss mused. "As childish as she can seem sometimes, as much of a dolt as I believed her to be when I first met her… the one attribute I could never deny her is her immense determination." She turned to grace Blake with a small smirk. "Once Ruby sets her mind to something, she will make it happen one way or the other. And I do believe that, even before that day you had both asked her out, she had her sights set on the both of you as well."

Blake nodded slowly, gazing out sightlessly at the water for a few moments. "So… even if one of us had asked first, she likely would have tried to bring the other into the fold?"

"You tell me," Weiss laughed. "I do believe you've gotten to experience the more devious side to her first-hand, though I've only seen it in regards to the three of you."

They shared a quiet giggle together. "Yes, I do believe you might have the right of it," Blake admitted with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick little beach chapter. Much blushing was had by all. Ahhh, sexual tension so thick you could cut it with Myrtenaster… Next chapter, let's go visit a bar, just for kicks!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	48. Chapter 48

"Alright, folks! Yang Xiao Long is in the house!"

The blonde's announcement upon entering the pub was met by a chorus of groans and not a few jeers.

"Yes, obviously you are well-loved here," Blake deadpanned, following in her and Weiss' wake.

"You bet, they just need a few drinks to warm up," Yang retorted cheerfully.

"Or maybe you need a few drinks before you start pounding on them," a raspy voice called out from the bar. "How you been, firecracker?"

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby hollered, racing past the others to tackle the lanky man, almost knocking him off his barstool. "Hi!" she chirped, clinging to his waist.

"Hey yourself, squirt," Qrow chuckled. "Ah, and I see you brought your ladies with you."

"Hello again!" Pyrrha waved cheerfully, while Blake gave him a hesitant smile.

"Well, come on in, I reserved a pool table for us, we can chat while we play. I gotta split in a few hours… Oh." He paused, sizing up a particular white-haired heiress. "Heard you and firecracker here hooked up."

"Er, yes, sir," Weiss replied bashfully.

Qrow raised his eyebrows, looking over at his blonde niece. "Nice catch," he snarked before heading towards the rear of the bar.

"What?" the heiress sputtered quietly. "Nice catch? Nice _catch_?! What am I, a fish?"

Yang smirked and opened her mouth, only to have Blake slap her hand over it.

"Think very carefully on your next words," the Cat Faunus warned. "You will thank me for this later."

Pyrrha, meanwhile, had draped a friendly arm around the still-indignant white-haired girl, murmuring reassurances to her. Ruby had already scurried ahead to help get things set up.

Soon enough they had a game going on, Qrow going first and taking on all comers. Ruby fell fairly quick, as even she admitted it wasn't exactly her game, and then Yang lined up.

"So, you girls been enjoying Patch?" Qrow asked curiously while chalking up his cue.

"Oh, very much so," Pyrrha replied cheerfully. "It is a beautiful place."

Weiss had gotten over her earlier indignation and nodded politely. "And Mr. Xiao Long is an excellent host."

"Yeah, I'll bet," he snickered softly. He lined up his first shot and broke, sending a number of balls careening into pockets. "He catch you guys sneaking his liquor yet?"

"I… That is…" Weiss looked at the smirking man, blushing brightly. "How did you know?"

"I didn't, really," Qrow laughed, sending another ball into a pocket and winking at his blonde opponent. "But I know my niece." He stood up then and regarded Ruby thoughtfully. "Though, maybe not the both of 'em as well as I thought I did…"

The brunette just grinned back at him innocently, joined by her raven-haired and redheaded girlfriends.

"Hmm." Qrow shook his head. "Nope, I don't wanna know." He returned to his game as the three girls snickered amongst themselves.

Yang was beaten fairly quickly thereafter, and the lanky man stretched with the cue held over his head. "So, anybody else?"

"I'll play a round," Blake said softly, accepting the cue from Yang.

"Good enough, I'll let you break."

"Thanks," Blake replied, flashing her girlfriends a quick smirk.

"Uh-oh," Ruby snickered.

"Mmhmm," Pyrrha grinned. "I recognize that look."

Sure enough, Blake handed Qrow a crushing defeat, wiping the table clean before he could even take a shot.

"That's… impressive as hell, kid," he stated, dumbfounded.

The raven-haired girl shrugged as she placed her cue up on the wall rack. "I grew up playing in Faunus bars, they were often the staging points for rallies and marches for equality."

"Ah, I see," Qrow grinned. "Pool shark, eh?"

"Perhaps," Blake replied, her smirk still firmly in place. Both Ruby and Pyrrha gave her celebratory hugs and kisses, causing the smirk to be replaced by a blush.

Before the next game could be set up, a rather large Bear Faunus stood up from his table.

"Alright," he bellowed. "Time for another drinking contest. Come on then, you pansies, who'll it be tonight?"

Yang grinned widely, standing up and beginning to approach, though the burly man noticed and immediately waved her off.

"Not you, Xiao Long, you know you're disqualified."

"Fine," the blonde pouted, but then grinned once more as sudden inspiration struck. "How about my little sister?"

The entire bar turned to gaze at a rather flustered-looking Ruby. "Ah heh heh… Hi there!" she waved hesitantly.

The Bear Faunus laughed uproariously. "Alright, yeah. You sure you wanna do this, kid?"

"Well," Ruby replied as she headed towards the table, shrinking slightly at all the attention. "Can I pick the drink?"

"Sure thing, what'll it be?"

Blake popped over by her elbow and whispered in her ear, causing the brunette to perk up.

"Ohhh, okay. How about shots of peach schnapps?"

"Absolutely, line us up!"

Qrow edged his way over towards Yang as both Blake and Pyrrha were standing by his other niece's shoulders encouragingly. "Yang, what are you thinking?" he hissed.

As the blonde had her hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter, Weiss stepped in to explain in brief how Ruby had been easily able to out-drink Yang a short while ago at Beacon.

Qrow stared back at her, incredulous. When he glanced at Yang for confirmation, the blonde nodded rapidly, tears of mirth leaking from her eyes.

"Huh," he mused. Then he turned towards the rest of the bar. "Fifty lien on the little girl!" he bellowed.

The bets ran fast and furious after that, with the odds heavily in the current champion's favor.

Sixteen shots later, the bar patrons stared, stunned, as the Bear Faunus slumped under the table, while Ruby cheerfully downed another shot glass, seemingly unaffected whatsoever.

"I'll be a son of a Grimm," Qrow breathed. "How about that."

"Wait for it…" Yang snickered.

"Okay, so that was fun!" Ruby exclaimed cheerfully. "I think it's time to head out now, though."

With that, the brunette stood up, turned, and promptly fell flat on her face. Soft snores issued from the petite girl soon thereafter.

"Just so you know," Yang laughed merrily as Pyrrha and Blake picked their girlfriend up off of the floor and carried her out the door. "I'm telling dad this was all your fault."

"Heh, why not," Qrow chuckled. "Wouldn't be the first time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A dusty old crow makes an appearance (being a bad influence per usual), and Ruby emerges from a drinking contest victorious. I imagine she'll wake up the next morning with an immense need to pee.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	49. Chapter 49

"This," Pyrrha declared solemnly, "was a grand idea."

"I'm glad you approve, fluffy fox," Ruby giggled as she walked forward from the small boat's cabin.

"Mmm," Blake sighed in agreement. "Lovely."

The three girls had taken advantage of the wonderful weather one weekday, just cool enough not to be scorching out on the water, to take out a small motorboat that a friend of Taiyang's owned. Ruby and Yang both had spent many a summer day on it, tooling around the coast of Patch, and the small brunette knew the perfect place for them to anchor for the afternoon.

Sheltered in between a rocky outcropping and a rather imposing cliff face was what could have been called a cove. The way the terrain was situated allowed for a gentle breeze to filter through and the waves to gently rock their boat.

Ruby glanced around, satisfied that there wasn't enough of a current right now to require the use of an actual anchor, and turned to her rather stunning girlfriends in their even more stunning swimsuits.

"You guys wanna swim for a bit, or just lounge about in the sun?"

"Mmm."

Ruby giggled lightly at Blake's response. Both she and Pyrrha had been getting better at interpreting her small hums and other seemingly noncommittal noises. This one, in particular, meant that she really didn't have a preference and would go along with whatever her girlfriends decided.

It was like an awesome Blake decoder ring, just for Ruby and Pyrrha. And on top of that, the brunette already could tell by just a look when Blake was thinking some thoughts that she really didn't want to let on that she was thinking.

Not that Ruby was any different.

She knew about sex, of course. It hadn't ever really been a subject of any interest for her until well after she'd begun dating her girlfriends, and the intensity of feelings she harbored for the both of them threatened to overwhelm her. She'd been entirely too anxious and terrified to consult anyone, especially Yang, but she'd done some… research. Extended research. Research that, fortunately for her as she had not yet begun to share a bed with Blake and Pyrrha, required a number of nights huddled under her covers, nose plastered to her scroll.

And subsequently spent an hour painstakingly deleting her scroll viewing history.

Certainly, she'd pleasured herself in the past, she was a normal girl with normal knees and normal hormones, even if she really could only have ever imagined herself with another girl. But the actual mechanics of things past that point? Those eluded her.

Until her successful research, that is. Now… Now her head was filled with all sorts of ideas and fantasies of intimate activities she might engage in with the two gorgeous women on that very boat with her.

Not that she would ever push or pressure either one towards such a goal. Yes, she accepted the fact that she was the dominant one of the three, or, as Yang so colorfully put it, 'topping' two women at once.

And, yes, Blake was likely right there with her regarding the desire to move up to the next level of their relationship.

But Pyrrha wasn't there yet.

And she was completely fine with that, she had far too much respect and love for the redhead to feel any other way, and she knew it was the same for Blake. They could be as patient as she needed them to be.

Even if the sight of the two of them in their rather skimpy swimwear (or, in Blake's case, skimpy butt covering) made her practically melt into a gooey little pile.

Her gaze traveled briefly over to Pyrrha, who was reclined on one of the towel-covered deck chairs that had its back down. The front of the redhead's suit was somehow even more alluring than the sight of her naked chest, which she'd become rather familiar with, much to her delight.

But still. It was Dust-damned difficult not to ogle. Or drool, for that matter.

"You're blushing, little rose," Blake whispered, humor lacing her words.

Oh, right. She forgot about the blushing bit.

"I think," Pyrrha finally spoke up in a quiet murmur, "that perhaps we could stay on the boat for awhile? Then take a dip if we desire to cool off?"

"Right, cool off," Ruby mumbled, screwing her eyes shut and trying to think about mundane things like schoolwork, or action movies, or calibrating her sniper rifle.

Blake's soft, melodic giggles did nothing whatsoever to help.

"Ruby, would you mind helping me with the sun lotion?" the raven-haired girl requested nonchalantly.

"Oh, yeah sure thing, kitty cat…" Ruby opened her eyes, searching around for the bottle, only to notice Blake was holding it in her hand from where she sat in one of the other deck chairs, this one in the upright position.

And also had pulled her top down to her waist.

The brunette let out a small frustrated groan while Blake's amber eyes twinkled merrily. "You. Are. Killing. Me. Here."

"Whatever do you mean, sweetie?" the mischievous Cat Faunus asked.

With a resigned sigh, Ruby accepted the sun lotion with almost grim determination.

_I will not let this turn me on. I will not let this turn me on. I will not let this-_

Blake let out a throaty, purring moan as Ruby ran her lotioned palms across her torso.

_Oum's sodding balls…_

There was absolutely no point to it anymore, the Cat Faunus had, once again, won their little game of getting her incredibly worked up. Short of attacking her right there and ravishing her lips and chest (which, truthfully, was more than a little tempting), Ruby had no other recourse than to finish rubbing suntan lotion all over Blake lean, muscular, soft, tanned, delicious body.

_Dammit dammit dammit…. Alright, kitty cat, you wanna play? Let's play._

When she'd finished, Blake was wearing a rather satisfied smile, her chest rumbling with a contented purr and her eyes closed. Ruby stood and without further ado, slipped her top off and dropped it to the deck.

"Could you return the favor, Blakey?" she asked with a rather naughty smirk, the same one she knew was irresistible to the Cat Faunus.

Said smirk widened considerably when Blake opened her eyes and stilled, her lips parting as a soft sigh of pure lust escaped the raven-haired girl's lips.

Granted, the sight of Blake ogling her in turn got her even more worked up, but it was totally worth it.

Yep, totally.

And she was sticking to that belief as far as it would carry her.

After a few moments, Blake seemed to give herself a shake, her Faunus ears twitching. "Um… of course," she whispered hoarsely, sitting up while Ruby kneeled on the edge of the deck chair.

"Unless this is bothering you?" the brunette asked with false courtesy.

"N- No, no not at all…"

"Blake?"

"Mmm?"

"Lotion is right next to you."

"Oh, yes… that's right, lotion, yes… er…"

Blushing furiously now, Blake proceeded to lather the brunette up, her nimble hands roaming all over her, down her chest and across her abs and along her strong, muscular limbs.

_Still worth it… Stillllll worth it… Dammitall I am so freaking turned on right now..._

Once Blake was done she sat back again, unable to take her eyes off of Ruby's torso any more than Ruby was able to look away from Blake's.

The both of them started slightly at a soft clearing of a throat.

"If you two would not mind… getting to me next?"

"Oh, of course, sorry Pyrrha!" Ruby jumped up and faced the other deck chair…

And almost fell over in surprise.

The redhead was now on her stomach but was also completely missing her swimsuit, wearing nothing but a rather shy smile and a radiant blush.

A clatter sounded from behind Ruby, assumedly Blake falling out of her chair. The Cat Faunus recovered quickly, scampering to her feet and standing next to the brunette, her eyes roaming along the redhead's long, toned body.

"Wow," Ruby could only murmur, completely flabbergasted.

"Mmm," Blake agreed with a rather squeaky sounding hum.

Unable to look at them anymore, Pyrrha buried her face in her arms which were crossed in front of her. "Do you… like what you see?" she mumbled, a mixture of bashfulness and hope.

" _Oum_ , yes," Ruby breathed. "I am _so_ freaking wet right now…"

Realizing she'd just said that last bit out loud, she slapped a hand over her mouth in mortification.

"Mmm." _Ditto._

Unexpectedly, Pyrrha let out a soft giggle. "So am I," she admitted softly.

"Um," Ruby stated after dropping her hand once more, her brain unable to work up anything other than monosyllabic opinions at the moment.

"Perhaps..." Blake interjected quietly, evidently with a much better recovery rate for her brain cells. "Perhaps we could cut our excursion a bit… short today?"

The brunette stirred, blinking rapidly as her thought processes attempted to reboot. "Uhhh… yeah." _Oh come on, I know you can do better than that,_ she scolded her brain irritably.

 _I am staring at Pyrrha's bare ass,_ her brain retorted.

_Yeah, okay, point._

The redhead cleared her throat, sitting upright but pulling the towel with her to somewhat cover herself.

While part of Ruby was disappointed as all Dust, the rest of her was rather relieved to be able to think clearly once more.

"I would indeed like some private time," Pyrrha said quietly, staring down at the deck. Her blush had not abated in the slightest. "Er… I could perhaps message Yang and Weiss, ask them to head out for the afternoon while your father is at work?"

"Uh, yeah, I mean…" Ruby rubbed her eyes, realizing they'd dried somewhat for staring unblinkingly for so long. "You want the house to ourselves? What did you have in mind, fluffy fox?"

The redhead's bright emerald green eyes finally looked up, glancing back and forth between her two girlfriends. "I'm ready," she said simply.

"Ahhh… right." Ruby cleared her throat, trying and failing to keep a very wide, very pleased smile off of her face. "Um, you're sure?"

"Very."

"Okay then… lemme get us underway!"

She paused, restrained by the gentle hand Blake placed on her forearm. The Cat Faunus stepped forward and gracefully sat next to the redhead, putting an arm around her.

"You're not feeling… pressured or anything, are you?" the raven-haired girl inquired, her amber eyes earnest but warm. "Ruby and I didn't make you uncomfortable, or…"

"Not at all," Pyrrha reassured them both with a small smile. Ruby quickly sat next to her as well, picking up on her nervousness. "I've actually been thinking for some time about this," the leggy redhead continued. "You have both been so wonderfully patient with me…"

Ruby rubbed her hand in circles along Pyrrha's bare back as the redhead sniffled slightly.

"I am so very lucky to have the both of you…"

"And we are just as lucky to have you," Blake insisted. "You know we would wait as long as you needed. So, truthfully, are you really ready for this? Are you certain?"

"Yes," Pyrrha replied firmly, resting her head on the top of the Cat Faunus'. "Absolutely certain."

Ruby leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Pyrrha's cheek. "Then let's get back," she murmured affectionately. "So we can be together."

"Yes, please," the redhead murmured in reply.

The brunette rose, leaning over once more to place a kiss on the top of Blake's head in between her Faunus ears, before scooping up her top and quickly fastening it around her again.

"Better get decent before we leave the cove," she stated with a grin. "Let's not give any fishermen an unexpected show. Oh, and I'll give Weiss a call, don't worry about that."

Both of the other girls gave her a nod of acceptance as she started the quiet engine up and steered towards the open water. Once they were underway, she pulled her scroll out and called up her partner.

"Is something the matter, Ruby?" the white-haired girl questioned immediately upon answering.

"No, not at all," the brunette laughed. "Actually… we were kinda wondering if we could have the run of the house this afternoon."

"Oh?" Weiss asked, though her confused expression quickly cleared up. "Oh! Yes, certainly… Er, I'm sure Yang will ask for something in return for this favor…"

"How about you guys can have tomorrow afternoon with no interruption?"

The heiress gave her a very pleased smile. "Oh, I'm sure that will do _just_ fine," she practically purred. "We'll be out shortly. Have fun."

"Thanks, Weiss," she giggled before closing the connection.

She glanced over at her girlfriends, now covered with their swimsuits once more and snuggled up together on Blake's deck chair.

_This is gonna be a good day… I can't believe it's finally happening, but I can't wait._

Ruby grinned widely as the dock came into view.

_Best. Boating trip. Ever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As many of you might have now guessed, immediately following this chapter is where the events of chapter 5 of A Thorny Bind, the fluffy smut companion to this crack ship, takes place.
> 
> So go back and read that if you have a mind to. I just did. And now I can't stop grinning.
> 
> Swear to Oum, I'm gonna have business cards made up with Fluffy Smut Wizard printed on them.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	50. Chapter 50

Blake tried to be an understanding girlfriend. Supportive, even. But some things… Some things just crossed the line.

"You want me to _what_?" she asked incredulously.

"Help us bathe Zwei!" Ruby chirped nonchalantly.

"Ruby… little rose… sweetie…" The raven-haired girl sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You know I do not get along with that… thing."

"Yep, and this is your chance to bond!" the brunette continued, gathering up the supplies they'd need. "Besides, Pyrrha and I will be there, you won't even have to touch him! Just, y'know, get used to being around him some!"

A small _mewl_ escaped Blake's lips at the thought of being trapped in the small bathroom with the slobbering demon spawn, even with her girlfriends there to protect her…

And then her panicked vision was filled with pools of silver, Ruby's eyes filled with warm caring and understanding. "I'm not gonna force you or anything, kitty cat," she said softly. "I just… thought maybe you could try? If you don't think you can, then don't worry about it." The brunette smiled sweetly. "It's okay."

Blake sighed, deflated by the brunette's loving understanding. "You really want me there?" she murmured uncertainly. _Stay strong! He is your mortal enemy!_

"Please?"

_Oh, Dust-damn it all, now that I can't resist..._

"...Fine," she muttered, grabbing hold of the towels in Ruby's hand. Her girlfriend let out a happy squeal and wrapped her strong arms around her midsection, squeezing tightly.

"Thank you, Blake, I love you so much!"

"I love you too, little rose," Blake sighed with a reluctant smile. "Just… I'll be in the back, handing you what you need."

"Sounds good! C'mon, Pyrrha already has him in there, waiting for us!"

The pair headed from the hall closet over towards the bathroom. Ruby carefully opened the door and slipped through, Blake on her heels and closing the door shut behind them.

The leggy redhead was sitting cross-legged on the floor, dressed in shorts and a tank top as the rest of them were. She was cooing and petting the furry monster, who was on his back with his stubby little legs in the air, tongue lolling out of his mouth and vicious teeth exposed to the world.

_Et tu, Pyrrha?_

"Oh! Hello, kitty cat," Pyrrha greeted her warmly. "Are you here to help?"

"Er… more like supervise. From way back here." She glanced behind her nervously. "In fact, I think this counter will make a nice perch."

Ruby giggled and stood on her tiptoes to give her a quick peck on the lips. "You're so cute," she smiled, her eyes twinkling.

_Sure, you think this is cute now, but when the screaming starts, you'll be marking my words… Oh, yes, they will be marked… All sorts of marking going on…_

While Blake clambered up to sit on the countertop next to the sink, Ruby started the water in the tub. Zwei didn't seem at all concerned with the notion of getting a bath, likely because it washed off the blood of his innocent victims. Eventually, Pyrrha lifted him up, his stubby little tail wagging in gleeful anticipation of their dropping their guard so easily, and then placed him in the water. He was short enough that it was halfway up his torso already, but he just let out a happy little _yip_ and splashed around merrily.

Blake had tensed up at the noise, drawing her legs in, but relaxed again as there was no blood spilled.

Yet.

Ruby and Pyrrha laughed as they played with the dog, making sure to get him plenty wet in the process. When the brunette turned, however, she frowned in confusion.

"Oh, shoot," she exclaimed. "I got the wrong shampoo. Hang on, I'll be right back!"

With that she was up and out the door, closing it behind her.

Blake could hardly breathe.

"P- Pyrrha?" she squeaked out.

"Hmm? What's the matter, love?"

"Y- You won't leave me… will you?"

Pyrrha smiled softly, keeping one hand on the exuberant dog while she reached back to touch her knee with wet fingers. "I'm right here, kitty cat, don't worry, okay?"

The raven-haired girl nodded rapidly, her eyes wide and unfocused. "Y- Yeah, okay…"

She gave herself a little shake. This was no time to fall apart, even if she were in an enclosed space with that… thing. She needed to be vigilant, be strong for her girlfriends. They were already under the demon spawn's spell, but she knew what it was capable of.

Oh, yes. She knew all too well.

Amber eyes focused on the creature in question, who perked up at the attention, even as Pyrrha continued to rub its cursed ears and the back of its neck. Blake narrowed her gaze as the tail wagging picked up.

_No… No, don't you even think about it, dog…_

But it seemed as if the thought had indeed crossed the little devil's mind, and it crouched, scooting its butt up against the rear wall of the bathtub to get better purchase.

Blake opened her mouth to warn Pyrrha of their incoming doom, but it was already too late.

With a joyful bark, Zwei launched himself out of the water, straight at Blake.

The Cat Faunus let out a shriek of terror, flailing to the side to get out of the way, while Pyrrha shouted anxiously.

As she fell, her shoulder hit the door handle, and the bathroom door went crashing out against the hallway wall just as she hit the ground, curled up in a little ball and with her hands behind her neck protectively.

Instead of the hot breath of the deadly monster, she felt wet paws scamper over her and out the bathroom.

With cries of "Bad doggie!", Pyrrha took off in hot pursuit.

It took a moment for Blake to gather her wits about her, but it was Ruby's startled _yelp_ that got her to her feet and moving once more.

_It got to her! I knew it, I knew that damned beast was evil!_

She sprinted forward, skidding around the corner on her bare feet to crash into the opposite wall. Bouncing off of it, she found Ruby sitting on her haunches, looking about in dismay.

"That was the entire bottle!" her girlfriend exclaimed, the thick liquid dripping from her hands, her clothes, her hair… Well, pretty much everywhere and onto the hardwood flooring.

There was a playful bark as Zwei came tearing back through the house, Pyrrha still in pursuit.

"He's rather… slippery!" the redhead panted, darting past.

_Enough. The beast is mine._

Blake let out a silent snarl as she launched herself forward, tackling the wet dog and rolling to a stop in the middle of the hallway that led off to the bedrooms.

"Nice tackle, Blakey!" Ruby cheered, trying to pick herself up off the floor.

Pyrrha quickly closed, helping Blake to her feet and taking hold of the happy dog. "I'm impressed, kitty cat, you caught him!"

"Yes, yes I did," Blake replied levelly.

Now _who's the Alpha, dog? Who is it? That's right, me!_

As if he was able to pick up on her smug thoughts, Zwei immediately began to squirm about, trying to get out of the redhead's arms.

"Oh, he's slipping!" Pyrrha cried.

"I'm coming!" Ruby hollered as she shot forward.

Of course, she neglected to take into account the fact that her feet were now covered in shampoo. The brunette collided with her girlfriends and her dog, sending all of them crashing backward and into the door of Yang's room, smashing it open and breaking the lock.

They fell heavily to the floor, Zwei shooting out like a greased Boarbatusk and into the room. The three girls craned their necks to see where he'd gone, only to be presented with a rather shocking sight.

Yang and Weiss stared back at them incredulously, the both of them very much naked and in remarkably intimate positions.

Five simultaneous screams later and Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha were all out in the hallway, sitting against the same wall as Yang's bedroom, stunned looks on their faces.

"Brain bleach!" Ruby groaned, her eyes wide and haunted. "I need brain bleach!"

Soon thereafter, short and precise steps sounded. Weiss rounded the corner, wearing one of Yang's shirts that went down past her knees. She had an unreadable expression on her face and carried the still dripping wet, but quite pleased with himself, Zwei.

Wordlessly, the white-haired girl dropped the dog into Ruby's lap, turned, and stormed back inside, slamming the broken door shut behind her. Then there came the sound of a chair being dragged over and propped under the doorknob before silence reigned once more.

"Girls," Pyrrha began quietly. "We should vacate the hallway."

"We should vacate the house," Ruby moaned.

"That sounds like a plan," Blake replied, staggering to her feet and pulling the other two up as well. "What say we try for a bath another day?"

"Works for me," the brunette sighed, trudging along with a cheerful Zwei running around the group of them in circles. "I need to change first. But, then ice cream?"

"Definitely," Blake agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually inserted this chapter practically at the last minute as the notion had come to me, and it fit in at Patch so much better, obviously. Next chapter will actually be the last one in Patch for this particular summer break.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	51. Chapter 51

Pyrrha smiled softly at the small brunette girl with red-tipped hair that walked in between herself and their raven-haired girlfriend. The three of them were holding hands as they trekked through the woods.

She inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of the wilderness, but still cognizant of threats this far from the civilized parts of Patch. They were all in their combat outfits, armed and armored.

Any Grimm that came across them would be in for quite the surprise.

"Are there many attacks in these woods?" the redhead inquired curiously.

"Not so much anymore," Ruby replied quietly, her eyes focused on the path ahead.

Pyrrha nodded and sighed softly, glancing aside at Blake. The Cat Faunus gave her a small, reassuring smile.

Ridiculous as it might have sounded, she was more than a little nervous.

It wasn't every day your girlfriend took you to see her mother.

Before long they broke through the line of trees and onto a clearing set onto the top of a cliff. At the end, right against the edge, was a small stone marker.

Without hesitation Ruby continued forward, her girlfriends pacing her on either side, until they came to a stop a couple of feet away. The brunette gave her hand a squeeze before letting the both of them go, clasping her fingers together in front of her. Pyrrha and Blake respectfully did the same.

The redhead stared at the stone marker ahead of them. A large rose adorned the surface of it, very similar to Ruby's own emblem. Underneath it was the name Summer Rose, followed by a short phrase.

Thus Kindly I Scatter.

"Hi, Mom," Ruby began with muted cheer. "I know, I'm a little early this summer. It's just that I'm cutting my visit home short, 'cause, well… I got somewhere else to go for the rest of it."

She took a deep breath as if bracing herself. "So, here's the thing, and the reason I'm leaving early… Well, this is Blake, and this is Pyrrha, and… Well, they're my girlfriends. Like, the both of them, we're all… involved."

Pyrrha suppressed a small grin at the quick blush that raced across Ruby's face, likely as she recalled just _how_ involved the three of them became a few days ago.

And every day and night since.

"Anyways, yeah, we're in a relationship together, and… um… Well, I wanted you to meet them. Oh, and we're all going to Mistral after this to meet Pyrrha's family, so that'll be cool. But yeah, that's my big news…"

Ruby looked up then, her eyes darting between the other two, the silver orbs shining with emotion. "So, look, I know it's kinda weird for you guys, and you don't have to-"

She cut herself off as Pyrrha took a quick step forward, already having decided as to her actions for that day. She dropped to her knees and bowed her head.

"Hello, Mrs. Rose," she began respectfully. "It is an honor and a pleasure to meet you. I wanted to let you know just how much I love and appreciate your daughter…" She cleared her throat, her emotions threatening to get the better of her. "My name is Pyrrha Nikos, and I swear to you that I will continue to love, honor, and respect Ruby for as long as she shall have me."

She stood up then, allowing the tears to flow down her cheeks, but glanced down as Ruby hugged her side. The brunette had tears of her own that she wiped away with her sleeve.

Blake cautiously approached next, the Cat Faunus gracefully dropping down onto one knee as she pressed her palm to the ground in front of the memorial.

"I'm Blake Belladonna," the raven-haired girl began quietly. "I've been on Ruby's team from the start, and I've known her as a team leader and a friend. I'm… very lucky to have met your daughter, Mrs. Rose, and even luckier to have her love." She sniffled as a stray tear ran down to drip next to her hand. "I swear to you I will always work to deserve that love, as much as I will always cherish the love the three of us share."

As she rose up, Pyrrha brought her arm around so that the three of them could encompass each other in a hug. Their soft sobs were a mix of happiness at what they shared together, as well as a sadness that the incredible woman that Ruby missed so terribly could not be there to witness it.

At least, not in person.

As they stood there together, swaying slightly, an errant breeze kicked up. The tendrils of warm air wrapped around them in a warm caress, Ruby's cloak and Pyrrha's long red hair flapping in the wind. It eased their sorrow and spirits, reminding them of the life they had. The life they shared.

The future that they now had together.

Soon enough they separated, wiping their faces on their sleeves as Ruby faced the marker once more.

"So, yeah," she said with a broken laugh. "Those are my girlfriends. Pretty awesome, right? And I really, really love them, Mom. I know you would have liked them."

The brunette sighed, glancing up at the position of the afternoon sun. "So we gotta get going now. I just… I wanted you to meet the two most important people in my life."

Ruby stepped forward, placing a hand on the rose symbol. "I love you, Mom. I still miss you… but I'm in really good hands now, okay? So don't you worry any."

She stepped back once more, a melancholy smile on her face. "Bye, Mom. It was nice talking to you again."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Rose," Blake said softly.

"A pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Rose," Pyrrha added.

The three of them turned and walked off once more, this time with their arms wrapped around each other.

Keeping the ones they loved close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmmm yeah. Feelsy. Before anyone complains, you all asked for this, so just take the feels, dammit, take all the fluffy feels! And no, I just have something in my eye. Shut up.
> 
> This chapter marks the last one for Patch for now. Next one, Purruby travels to Mistral. 
> 
> Stay shiny!


	52. Chapter 52

Pyrrha Nikos had faced many adversities in her life. From tournaments to actual combat, facing new and unknown situations with regards to a school on an entirely different continent than the one she'd grown up on. New friends, a new team…

Girlfriends.

Facing the initial conflict with regards to said relationship head-on as was her usual manner, she was able to come to an agreement that would result in the happiest state of being she'd ever experienced. Happier than she'd ever _dreamed_ would be possible.

She was accepted and loved for who she was, not who she could be or what she was expected to be. No strings, no qualifications… Just her. Somehow, in someway or another, both Ruby and Blake saw her with nothing other than pure adoration and affection.

As the tall redhead gazed out of the window of the airship currently bound for Mistral, she felt her face blush as she reflected on just _how_ affectionate they'd become while at Patch. Granted, they'd been pushing the boundaries of physical affection for some time now, but ever since they'd crossed that one final line together…

Pure bliss. So very exceeding any of her expectations, and only magnified by the fact that she had not one, but two lovers. As she reminisced upon the feeling of being in between both the energetic brunette and the quiet but intense raven-haired girl, she squirmed slightly in her seat.

All that attention focused on her by the two people on Remnant she trusted and loved the most… It was absolutely _glorious_.

"Lien for your thoughts?" a quiet voice intoned in her ear.

Pyrrha smiled softly and turned to regard her Cat Faunus girlfriend. Amber eyes glowed at her from only a few inches away, warm and inviting.

"Just… thinking about us," she replied somewhat hesitantly.

"Mmm," Blake hummed, leaning in and brushing her lips against hers. "And nothing to do with your nerves?"

Pyrrha sighed and closed her eyes briefly. Blake had indeed hit upon the crux of the situation right there, as she was incredibly nervous about returning home. And as she was bringing along her two girlfriends to meet her parents… Her, admittedly loving, but rather domineering and conservative parents, especially her father...

So, yes, she was a tight bundle of nerves.

"I don't know why I try to hide these things from you two," Pyrrha murmured as she reopened her emerald orbs. Glancing around the mane of black hair, she eyed the third member of their relationship with an affectionate smile. "Well, you, at least."

Blake snickered as she turned her head as well to regard the lightly snoring petite girl. Ruby had her head in Blake's lap, mouth parted slightly and a look of contentment that was all the more pronounced for being in physical contact with either of her girlfriends.

"She's not all _that_ unobservant," Blake murmured in return, running her hand through the red-tipped brown hair in her lap. "Actually, she asked me to talk to you if it looked like you were getting too upset."

Pyrrha sighed and smiled widely. "That does sound like her, always looking out for us. If I may ask, though, why just you?"

Blake shifted around so that she might face her more fully without disturbing the slumbering girl. "She believed I might be a bit more understanding of your familial situation. Honestly, now that we've seen how Ruby grew up, her father and home, I can understand how she's so perplexed as to your concerns." The Cat Faunus offered her a small but empathetic smile. "But yes, I do understand a little better. Are you worried about how they might react to us, or about standing up to them in some fashion?"

"I suppose the both of those," Pyrrha mused, leaning her head against the seat as she gazed into Blake's warm amber orbs. "They both… They always pushed me to be the best I could be because of my natural talent. I didn't exactly have a normal childhood."

"I daresay none of us truly had one," Blake remarked dryly. "Do you believe they would want you to simply be happy?"

Pyrrha blinked her emerald eyes uncertainly. "I don't know," she whispered. "And that is what worries me the most."

The raven-haired girl reached up and rested a warm hand against her cheek, stroking softly with her thumb. "We will be with you," she stated levelly and with firm conviction. "All the way. You will not be facing this alone, alright?"

Nodding her head slightly, Pyrrha teared up a bit. "I love you so very much, kitty cat," she whispered once more.

"And I love you, my fluffy little fox," Blake replied with a small grin. She leaned in and pressed her lips against Pyrrha's. The redhead complied eagerly, pushing as much of her gratitude and affection for the usually reticent girl as she could into the kiss.

"You guys are so cute," a sleepy voice spoke up from Blake's lap.

Blake and Pyrrha separated, giggling against each other's lips.

"Eavesdropping, little rose?" Pyrrha asked humorously.

Shining silver orbs looked up at her solemnly. "Nah, not really. Just woke up from a nice dream to see an even nicer sight."

The redhead gave Blake another quick peck before she leaned across her lap to kiss Ruby upside down. The brunette let out a soft moan as she opened her mouth to accept Pyrrha. Their tongues moved against each other's languidly in tune with their hands that roamed along their faces.

Blake curled inwards with her innate Faunus agility and nibbled lightly on Pyrrha's ear. "Keep it civil, ladies, we _are_ on a public transport, after all."

"Well, shoot," Ruby snickered as the three of them separated. "And here I was hoping to join the mile-high club."

Pyrrha blinked her eyes uncertainly. "Er… pardon? The what now?"

Her raven-haired girlfriend leaned over and whispered a quick explanation in her ear, causing a bright flush to color her cheeks.

"Ruby!" she exclaimed in a scolding tone.

The brunette in question just giggled unrepentantly. "But you're thinking about it now, aren't you?"

Pyrrha crossed her arms with a huff, though she was unable to hide the upward curl of the corners of her mouth. "Perhaps."

"Mmm," Blake replied with a slight blush as well.

"Well," Ruby murmured as she sat up and stretched. "The restrooms here are rather roomy."

Both Pyrrha and Blake stared at her incredulously.

"Just sayin'," the brunette stated nonchalantly. She stood up from her seat and flashed them her trademark smirk, the one that she only gave her girlfriends and that they both found incredibly sexy.

"I feel the need to freshen up," Ruby murmured over her shoulder as she sauntered off, her hips swaying.

Pyrrha licked her lips as she stared off after the shorts-clad girl. "We shouldn't," she whispered hesitantly.

"True," Blake grinned. "But I'm sure you want to as much as I do."

"Oh, _gods_ , yes," Pyrrha replied with relish as she surged to her feet, clasping Blake's hand while dragging the giggling Cat Faunus in Ruby's wake.

* * *

"Is it weird that I miss Yang?" Ruby mused as the three of them waited in line to disembark from the docked airship. "I mean, Weiss too, but…"

"I believe I can understand it," Pyrrha replied with a sympathetic smile. "This will be the longest the two of you have been separated, yes?"

"Yeah, pretty much…"

"Well, then," Blake murmured. "We shall have to do our best to distract you."

Ruby snickered softly. "I'd say you guys were off to a _very_ nice start…"

Pyrrha knew her cheeks were as crimson-colored as Blake's now were. "And somehow you still manage to make us blush," she commented lightly.

"Yep, still got it," Ruby giggled, earning her a light smack on her arm by the raven-haired girl on her other side.

The line began moving, and the three girls shuffled forward with the occasional light touch or shared smile between them. They exited the airship in single-file, Pyrrha leading the way with Ruby behind her and Blake trailing behind.

The line stopped once more at the security checkpoint, and Ruby slipped her strong arms around the redhead's middle.

"Still holding up?" she whispered against the back of her shoulder.

Pyrrha nodded, stroking a hand along Ruby's arm. "I am. Thank you, love."

The brunette gave her a gentle squeeze. "We're here with you, don't forget that, okay?"

She could only nod once more as Ruby's arms disappeared and they began to move forward again. They had to sign a few extra forms as huntresses-in-training, allowing them to bring their weapons along so long as they were held liable for their actions while in Mistral. Pyrrha smiled to herself ruefully at the enhanced security measures in place since the last time she visited.

_The world keeps changing… But I suppose that's why we're training to do what we do, isn't it?_

And then they were past the congested areas and moving along to fetch their baggage. Suitcases and duffel bags in hand, the three of them exited the terminal and arrived at the main lobby.

Pyrrha felt her heart lurch into her throat as she immediately spied the smiling visages of her parents. _Right. Here we go..._

One look at her parents and it was easy to tell where her genes came from. She got her height and leggy build from her father, who wore his neatly trimmed dark beard, matching the short hair on his head, with his usual suave style. Her mother, red shoulder-length hair still as brilliant as when she was Pyrrha's age, also passed along her startlingly bright green eyes.

"Hello mother, father," she said with a somewhat forced smile, waving to them as she approached.

Her father immediately stepped forward and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Pyrrha, my girl, it's been too long." He stepped back and held her at arm's distance while eyeing her body critically with his dark blue orbs. "Did you lose some muscle tone?"

"No, father," she replied somewhat meekly before turning to accept her mother's hug.

"I have missed you, sweetie," the elder Nikos woman murmured.

Pyrrha smiled softly before stepping back. She took a deep breath and turned slightly to include the other pair who had traveled with her.

"Mother, father… These are my girlfriends. Ruby Rose and Blake Belladonna."

Her father nodded cordially enough to them, though his eyes flickered up briefly towards the bow on Blake's head. The Cat Faunus was once again covering up her heritage now that they were off of Patch, but Pyrrha had made no qualms regarding her girlfriends' characteristics when she'd messaged them during the past semester.

"Epirus Nikos," he said with a short bow. "And this is my wife, Helena. Welcome to Mistral."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Nikos," Ruby smiled with a nod of her head. "And you too, Mrs. Nikos."

"Thank you both very much for hosting us," Blake added quietly.

"Oh, it's our pleasure, dears," Pyrrha's mother smiled. She stepped forward and gave each girl a quick but warm hug. "Now, come along and we'll get ourselves out of this weather and back home."

The weather she spoke of hit them as soon as they stepped out of the terminal like a wet, hot sponge. The summer humidity was the one thing she missed the least about Mistral, caused by the numerous swamps surrounding the city, as well as the reclamation of many areas from the wetlands for usable housing.

Without further ado, they were loaded into the family Dust-powered vehicle, all three girls crammed into the rear seat and with the air conditioning blowing hard.

"I think my shoes melted a little on the sidewalk," Ruby joked. "You weren't kidding about the heat here, Pyrrha."

"Makes for excellent workout conditions, though," the redhead's father spoke up from where he was driving. "I understand Vale has much a milder climate. That means you've been pushing yourself all the harder, right Pyrrha?"

"Of course, father," she replied neutrally. She started slightly from her seat on the far right as Ruby reached over and clasped her hand tightly. Silver eyes looked at her with warm reassurance, matched by amber orbs on the other side of the brunette.

"Epi, enough with the questions on her training," her mother chided gently. "She just got home!"

"Yes, Lena," he replied genially. He looked up into the rearview mirror at the trio briefly. "So… Pyrrha has told us a bit about your… relationship. The three of you are actually dating each other?"

"Yes, sir, we are," Ruby replied firmly. "And we love each other very much."

"I… see."

He didn't make further conversation, just kept his eyes on the road as they finished the short trip home. Pyrrha swallowed nervously, unsure as to how to take the sudden reticence, but a glance at her girlfriends immediately bolstered her confidence, just as they always did.

Ruby was still holding her hand but was looking out the windows with interest. Blake, however, kept her eyes on the redhead. When Pyrrha looked her way, the raven-haired girl gave her another reassuring smile.

"You okay?" she mouthed.

"I am," she murmured back, just loud enough for her Faunus senses to pick up. "I have the two of you."

Blake gave her a wink, her smile widening in pleasure at the comment.

_This will be fine… Together the three of us can handle anything..._

* * *

Once inside her rather modest two-story adobe home, Pyrrha let out a soft sigh. So many memories, both good and bad, flooded through her.

"Should we bring our bags upstairs, Mrs. Nikos?" Blake asked gently, breaking Pyrrha out of her sudden reverie.

"Oh, please dear, call me Helena," her mother smiled, causing Pyrrha to sigh once more but in relief. At least her mother seemed to be accepting of things as they now were. "And yes, Epi should be done parking in just a moment and will show you upstairs. I'll go get dinner started."

No sooner had she finished than her father entered through the garage door, nodding towards the three girls. "This way," he said quietly, turning to head up the stairs.

Pyrrha opened her mouth to protest that she knew perfectly well how to get to her own room, but he was already out of sight. Shrugging, Ruby headed up after him, followed by Blake. Pyrrha brought up the rear, determinedly not staring at her very favorite anatomical feature of her Cat Faunus girlfriend.

_Honestly, I should know better by now than to follow her upstairs..._

As they reached the landing above, Blake turned to grace her with a small but knowing smirk that caused her to blush lightly.

_Dammit._

Her attention was quickly diverted to her father who stood in the middle of the hallway, his arms crossed.

"So, we have two guest rooms here. This is yours, Ruby, and this one is Blake's."

Both the brunette and raven-haired girl immediately shot her a questioning look.

Pyrrha sighed and clenched her jaw slightly. "Father… we can share my room."

"But that's unnecessary, we have the extra rooms…"

"Father. The three of us share a bed."

He stared at her, ignoring the other's presence as his dark blue orbs glittered intently. "Pyrrha... I understand you have felt the need for this… romantic frivolity. But isn't it time to return to your training once more, not be focused on… this?"

At the word _frivolity_ , something sparked within Pyrrha. A long-suppressed bit of rebellion against her father, a man who had always tried to keep her best interests at heart, whether she agreed with those interests of not.

It was time to make a stand. And right here was as good a place as any.

"Ruby, Blake," she murmured, not taking her eyes off of her father. "My room is to the left here. Can you please take my bags inside and give us a moment?"

Silently, her girlfriends complied, though they both gave her hand a squeeze before relieving her of her luggage. They slipped inside her room and closed the door behind them.

"Now, look here Pyrrha," her father began. "I expect you to-"

"Enough, father," she interrupted him. His eyes widened slightly at her uncharacteristically rude assertiveness, but she plowed on nonetheless.

"I need to ask you a question," she stated firmly, her earlier nervousness vanished as if it had never been there.

Her father nodded warily. "Go ahead."

The smiling image of her girlfriends set into the forefront of her mind, Pyrrha crossed her arms before continuing. "Is it more important to you for me to be successful or happy?"

He blinked his eyes uncertainly. "Happiness follows from success."

"That does not answer my question."

"I believe it does."

Pyrrha let out an irritated huff and decided to take a different tack. "When you saw me off at the beginning of the year, you said you accepted me as an adult. Do you still?"

"Of course…"

"And as an adult, I am free to make my own decisions?"

"Well… yes…"

"Then I will tell you this, unequivocally. I choose happiness over success."

Her father almost took a step back in shock. "Pyrrha…"

"Because this," Pyrrha stated firmly and with conviction, rolling over his response, "what I have right now, makes me the happiest I have ever been in my entire life. And I will choose this relationship over anything else."

She watched the man at the other end of the hall carefully, judging his reaction to her open defiance. He seemed to struggle somewhat before uncrossing his arms and tucking them into his pockets.

"Pyrrha… Yes, I accept you are an adult, and… certainly free to make this choice." Taken aback as he was, it was clear that his acceptance was only given grudgingly. "But still, you should not throw away your gifts. Do you no longer wish for your life to mean something?"

The redhead smiled softly at her father. "If all I were to accomplish for the rest of my life was to love both Ruby and Blake to best of my ability," she assured him quietly, "then my life would mean more than I could have ever expected."

They stared at each other for a few heartbeats before her father finally nodded his head slowly.

"I think I understand. I will… respect your decision, Pyrrha." He offered her a small smile. "After all, you inherited my stubbornness. Far be it from me to change your mind."

She returned the smile wanly. "There would be no way on Remnant I would change my mind on this. I love them both, more than anything."

"Alright then." He stepped forward, and she met him halfway as he wrapped her up in a comforting hug.

"You know I only want what's best for you," he murmured.

"I know," she replied quietly. "And that's exactly what this is."

He nodded as he let her go and headed down the steps. "We'll call you down for dinner in a bit."

"Thank you, father," she smiled before turning towards her door. As soon as she let herself into her room, she was tackled by her girlfriends in a tight hug.

"Oh," she gasped as the air was suddenly squeezed out of her lungs. "Er… you overheard?"

Blake nodded, her bow brushing against Pyrrha's ear. "We did," she replied simply.

Ruby sniffled from where her face was buried in the redhead's bosom. "You know that you give our lives meaning, right, fluffy fox?"

"I do, little rose," she replied warmly, pressing a kiss first onto Blake's forehead and then onto Ruby's. "And so do the two of you."

They stood like that in each other's arms for some time, content in their love for each other.

"Sooo…" the brunette eventually murmured. "Am I the only one excited to break in Pyrrha's childhood bed?"

"Ruby!" her girlfriends scolded over her unrepentant giggles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaack, and with a long chapter! The girls are in Mistral! Some actual contention here (not plot!) for them to deal with as well. While Epirus is struggling to come to terms with the relationship, I think the crux of his dilemma has more to do with Pyrrha herself. Sometimes it's the hardest thing in the world to accept the fact that your child is an adult.
> 
> Side note, there's a certain chapter in A Thorny Bind which picks up the action on board the airship...
> 
> Stay shiny!


	53. Chapter 53

After dinner on their first night visiting Mistral, the three girls had retired to Pyrrha's room and were now snuggled up on her bed. The leggy redhead was in the middle and on her back, with a girlfriend curled up on either side of her.

"This feels so very strange," Pyrrha murmured, running her hands through each girl's hair. She made sure to scritch a bit at the base of Blake's Faunus ears now that she'd removed her bow.

"How so?" Ruby murmured, running her bare foot along the redhead's leg.

"Well… being in here. In my home, with the two of you… in my bed that I grew up in…" She sighed softly, staring up at the ceiling. "It's just… odd."

Ruby smiled, leaning up to plant a kiss on the side of her neck. Her hand was clasped with Blake's, and she ran her thumb along the back of the Faunus girl's hand while she looked around the room idly.

The brunette wasn't sure what she had expected, perhaps a stark room full of nothing but inspirational posters and the like. But the room she found herself in wasn't all that dissimilar to her own back on Patch, if a little smaller.

Pyrrha's bed rested in the center of the bedroom along the back wall, covered in a pale red comforter and sheets. By the window stood a small desk, currently cleaned off of any clutter, as well as a comfortable reading chair. Against the opposite wall, and in between the closet door and attached bathroom, was a long dresser with a mirror. Along the edges of the mirror were some photos, some of her with her parents at various stages of her life, others of her with friends she must have attended school with. And then adorning the walls were a mixture of nature prints and posters of some noteworthy Hunters. Including, much to her amusement, one of a much younger-looking Glynda Goodwitch.

"Didn't peg you for being a member of the Glynda fanclub," she giggled lightly.

"Er… well, she was a very famous Huntress you know, before she took up a teaching position at Beacon…"

Blake propped her head up on her hand and looked down upon the redhead. "Are you blushing, fluffy fox?' she asked with a mischievous glint in her amber orbs.

"W- What? No, of course not!"

Ruby leaned up as well, grinning down at her flustered girlfriend. "You totally are! Oh my Oum, did you have a crush on her growing up?"

"I… N- No, certainly not…" Pyrrha was unable to look either girlfriend in the eye, however.

Ruby and Blake shared a humorous grin. "Just when you think you know a girl…" the Cat Faunus snickered softly.

"...You find out they have a thing for authority figures," Ruby completed with a giggle.

Pyrrha huffed and closed her eyes, though her mouth was curved into a rueful smile. "You are both ridiculous."

"Hmm, maybe we could do some roleplaying sometime," the brunette said, carefully watching for the redhead's reaction. "Blake, you could totally pull off the naughty school teacher look."

"Mmm. I could, couldn't I?" the raven-haired girl mused with a small smirk.

Pyrrha's emerald green eyes shot open again as she hitched a breath. "Y- You are both teasing me now," she stammered.

"Who's teasing?" Ruby breathed as she leaned down and brushed her lips against Pyrrha's. "Wouldn't you like the idea of being… disciplined by Mistress Blake?"

"Perhaps not just yet," Pyrrha squeaked out, her voice an octave higher than usual. She cleared her throat, blushing furiously, as she glanced between the smirking brunette and the raven-haired girl who was desperately trying to hold back her hysterical giggles. "That is… We could discuss this. Back at Beacon."

Ruby frowned slightly as a thought came to her. "Hey, fluffy fox… You know we don't have to do… anything… here that would make you uncomfortable, right?"

The redhead blinked her eyes at her. "Er… yes, I do. I appreciate the thought. It's just… strange. And besides the point, really."

"What do you mean?" Blake asked as she lay her head back down on Pyrrha's shoulder.

Ruby, though, shifted over so that she was halfway lying on top of the redhead. Her arms were crossed in front of her and she propped her chin there, looking up at Pyrrha as she stared at the ceiling once more.

"My parents are so very different from your father, Ruby," the taller girl began hesitantly. "Tai was… wonderfully accepting, truly. I could tell he was comfortable, well as much as he was able to be, with the idea of us being… together… under your roof. Mine, however…" She exhaled slowly. "I feel as if it were a huge victory to even be sleeping in the same room, not to mention the same bed."

Blake nodded from where her head rested, the ears on the top of her head flicking gently. "They do seem to be more accepting of us now, however," she mused thoughtfully. "You are a grown woman, and if not at Beacon you would be living on your own, would you not?"

The three of them were silent for a bit. Ruby was fascinated by the facial expressions, minute as they were, that flew across Pyrrha as she struggled with the concept.

"I believe I can agree with you there, kitty cat," she finally stated softly. "It's just difficult to get past. I've never considered doing any such thing in my home here."

"Do you want to?" Ruby asked softly.

Pyrrha grinned slightly. "You know I do."

"Well, then…" Ruby uncrossed her arms and brushed her fingers along the small expanse of skin exposed between Pyrrha's tee shirt and the hemline of her shorts. "We could… fool around a little bit. Warm you up to the idea, maybe take your mind off of things…"

Pyrrha blushed brightly as she squirmed from the contact. "That… does sound nice…"

The three of them jumped slightly at the sound of Pyrrha's father calling out from downstairs.

"Pyrrha! Your mother and I are going out to visit some friends in town! We'll be back late, don't bother waiting up!"

"Very well, thank you, father!" Pyrrha shouted back. "Have fun!"

The three girls exchanged heated looks as they listened to the door close, the engine of the family car start up, and as it moved down the driveway. Ruby chewed on her bottom lip, eyeing the gleams in both of her girlfriend's eyes.

"Sooo…" the brunette prompted as the garage door descended.

Pyrrha giggled lightly. "Yes."

Clothes have never flown off of bodies faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did mention that the sexual tension would be greatly eased. However, the three of them are all very much enjoying the physicality of their relationship, so that's always going to be a thing. And Ruby is, as has been noted previously, rather deviously frisky.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	54. Chapter 54

"Oh, hello, girls," Pyrrha's mother greeted the trio as they lounged in the living room. "Not going out today?"

"Hello, mother," Pyrrha smiled. "No, not just yet. I'm afraid my Valesian girlfriends are worried they might self-combust if they walk outside."

"It's _sooo_ hot," Ruby whined piteously from where she lay across the redhead's lap. "And I feel like I hafta swim instead of walk out there!"

"I am not overly fond of feeling my ears sweat," the Cat Faunus added grumpily.

Pyrrha and her mother shared a chuckle. "Valesians," the elder Nikos woman sighed.

"Indeed," the younger one smiled.

"Pfft, whatever," Ruby scoffed. "That's what air conditioning and vids are for." She craned her head up to regard their hostess for the remainder of the summer. "Um… would you like to join us, Helena?"

"Oh, that's very nice of you dear. Were you about to start a new one?"

"Yes, but we cannot decide on one," Blake murmured. "I refuse to watch another gore-fest."

"It's an action movie, not a horror movie!" Ruby protested. "No gore!"

"Says you," Blake snarked, reaching over to thread her fingers through the red-tipped brown hair affectionately.

"We were thinking perhaps a romance, but it would appear we've already watched the most recent offerings," Pyrrha interjected.

"I see." Helena perched herself over on the chair that matched the pattern of the couch that the other three occupied. "How about something of a classic, then?"

The girls perked up at that, gazing at the older woman eagerly. "Such as?" Blake prodded.

Pyrrha's mother picked the remote up and worked her way through the menu on the vid player. "There was this lovely movie with Cary Golden and Deborah Carr, called _An Affair To Remember_ …"

"Oh, I think I remember you mentioning it previously," Pyrrha mused thoughtfully.

Helena nodded genially. "Yes, it's about this popular Atlesian playboy who meets a Valesian girl aboard a long-distance airship trip. They fall in love, and agree to meet at the top of Beacon Tower in six months…"

The older woman paused in her perusal as she seemed to tear up slightly. "And… and then she tries to, but something happens… And he waited and waited. And it was raining, I think. And then... she's too proud to tell him... that she's, uh…"

Mesmerized, Blake grabbed the tissue box next to her and handed it to the now sobbing woman.

"Oh, thank you dear… So in any case, he's too proud to find out why she doesn't come. But he comes to see her anyway. I forget why, but, oh... Oh, it's so amazing when he comes to see her because…"

Helena trailed off tearfully, unable to continue as she blew her nose and wiped her tear-stricken face.

"Okay," Ruby breathed. "I'm sold."

"Agreed."

"Mmm."

* * *

Epirus walked through the door of his house, smiling at the sounds of a movie playing from the living room. He meandered over to see what was on, only to come to an abrupt halt.

Three teenaged girls and a middle-aged woman were all sitting on the couch together, embracing one another and blubbering emphatically.

He eyed the scene warily, noting the massive piles of used tissues littering the floor and the rather distraught state of the women occupying his house.

"Er…" he began hesitantly. "What are you watching, Lena?"

"Oh, hello Epi," his wife greeted him tearfully. "We're watching _An Affair To Remember_."

Now, he had been married for over two decades by this point. He loved both his wife and his daughter dearly. He'd also grown somewhat in both maturity and experience since the beginning of his marriage. And he was certainly acquainted with many of the movies from his generation.

He well knew the movie in question.

Unrepentantly and unhesitatingly, Epirus Nikos turned around and fled his own home in terror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the movie is, as I noted, An Affair To Remember but with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. And for those not into classics, much of this, including a lot of Helena's lines, are taken from Sleepless in Seattle. Wait, that can't be considered a classic, can it? Gods, I hope not, that would seriously make me feel old.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	55. Chapter 55

Pyrrha let out a contented sigh as she watched her girlfriends who were currently seated on her bed. The redhead had just gotten out of the shower and was toweling herself off, already wearing her underwear. Ruby was seated behind Blake, the both of them wearing robes, while the brunette ran a brush through the Cat Faunus' hair. Blake had her Faunus ears folded flat against her head to keep them out of the way of the bristles and she was purring quite loudly.

"Juuust a few more minutes, fluffy fox, and it's your turn," Ruby chirped, giving her a wink.

Smiling, Pyrrha just nodded as she sat on the edge, running a hand along Blake's arm. The raven-haired girl opened her amber eyes, returned the smile, and grasped her hand to give it a loving squeeze before returning to her previous blissful state.

The three of them greatly enjoyed brushing each other's hair. It had become a semi-nightly ritual, depending on whether or not they had the time. Ruby's was short enough that it took very few strokes, but either Blake or Pyrrha would take care of her, whoever was the first dressed for bed. Once everyone was settled, the three of them would sit cross-legged on the bed, Ruby in back and then Blake, who in turn would brush Pyrrha's long red hair. They'd frequently switch so that each of the taller girls could enjoy the act of giving one of their girlfriends attention in such a manner.

Tonight, however, they were getting ready separately, so as soon as Ruby was done with Blake the raven-haired girl gracefully rose to her feet, giving each of them a quick kiss, and then slipped out of the room to change in one of the guest rooms.

With a little bounce of eager anticipation, Pyrrha shifted over to sit in front of her brunette lover.

Ruby giggled lightly as she began to run the brush through her long, straight red hair. "It's been a few days since I got to brush your hair," she commented quietly.

"Mmhmm," she replied with a pleased sigh. "I've missed it."

"Me too," Ruby replied simply.

After a few quiet minutes, Pyrrha chuckled to herself at a stray thought that crossed her mind. "If I were a Cat Faunus I'd be purring up a storm right now."

"I figured that," the brunette giggled once more. She pulled the hair gathered up in her hands to the side and placed a sweet kiss on the side of Pyrrha's neck, making her giggle as well. "Unfortunately, I gotta go get dressed. We can do this again tonight, though, okay?"

Pyrrha smiled widely as she turned to face her brunette lover. "That would be grand," she murmured before pressing her lips against Ruby's. Both of them moaned slightly as the kiss deepened, but the petite brunette managed to break away before too long.

"If I don't go now," Ruby stated breathlessly, "we're gonna be late."

"I know, I know," Pyrrha replied with a fake pout.

The brunette hopped off of the bed, but leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "Love you, fluffy fox."

"Love you too, little rose," the redhead grinned.

* * *

Pyrrha smiled widely as she walked into the living room to see her girlfriends assembled for the evening. Tonight they were going to eat at a somewhat upscale Mistralian restaurant, one of the redhead's favorites that she hadn't been to in some time. When Ruby had found out about it, the brunette had adamantly insisted on taking both she and Blake there.

The raven-haired Faunus girl was perched on the edge of the couch, looking up at Pyrrha warmly as she entered. Blake wore a rather slinky black dress with matching heels, though the bow on her head was a dark purple.

Smiling in return, Pyrrha made a mental note not to follow the Cat Faunus at any point tonight so as to avoid any further embarrassing blushes on her part. It was, after all, a _very_ form-fitting dress.

Ruby had on a short red sleeveless dress, complimenting the red-dyed tips of her hair nicely, that had a wide black sash around her middle. It came down in a long vee in the front with black lacing across, and her upper chest was covered by a black mesh fabric with additional lacing. She also, much to Pyrrha's amusement, wore her 'stupid lady-stilts' as she still referred to them, even though she'd been steadily becoming more confident in them.

"You two are so beautiful," the redhead murmured almost dreamily as she walked up.

Her brunette girlfriend grinned widely. "Looking rather gorgeous there yourself, love," she giggled.

Pyrrha had chosen a rather simple sleeveless red dress that came down past her knees, but it was simple only in its elegance. The material itself was silk, one of the more expensive dresses she owned, and thus had remained at home when she went to Beacon.

But, she wanted to show off a little bit for her girlfriends.

From the hungry look in Blake's amber eyes, it was apparently working, too. "Mmm," she hummed, which Pyrrha interpreted as being anything _but_ unappreciated.

"Thank you," she replied shyly, knowing there was a light blush to her cheeks. Even when she was looking to get such a reaction from them, the attention from the two of them still warmed her.

She jumped slightly at the sound of a man clearing his throat. "You do look very lovely, Pyrrha."

Blushing brighter now in embarrassment, the redhead turned to face the chair and its unnoticed occupant. "Er, thank you, father."

Epirus nodded genially. "Are you sure you do not want me to drive you?"

"No, thank you. I called a taxi, it should be here shortly." She smiled slightly as she sat on the other side of Ruby.

And then the room descended into an ever so slightly uncomfortable silence.

Pyrrha glanced aside at the other two girls. Blake seemed content to meditate with her eyes open, but Ruby was looking about the room restlessly. The redhead could practically feel the effort the brunette was making at not bouncing in her seat, though her legs were vibrating marginally.

"You alright, little rose?" she murmured.

Ruby looked up with her usual infectious smile. She'd actually put on a little bit of makeup, some eyeliner to make her silver eyes even more prominent and subtle lipstick. "Yep, just excited about tonight!" she chirped in reply.

"Me, too," Pyrrha answered with a smile of her own.

"So, Ruby," her father spoke up suddenly. "I noticed you training in the back yard this morning. Quite the weapon you have."

"Oh, thank you, sir," Ruby replied excitedly. Both Pyrrha and Blake let out soft sighs of affectionate exasperation as the brunette launched into one of her favorite subjects.

"I designed my sweetheart myself, based it off of my Uncle Qrow's own scythe, though I made a ton of modifications, she's a war scythe but also a customizable high-impact sniper rifle, and just recently I made a few tweaks to accept different types of Dust rounds which will give me a _lot_ more flexibility on the battlefield, ended up just a tad bit heavier on the back end so I added a little more to the blade as well but it was _sooo_ worth it…"

By this point both the redhead and the raven-haired girl were covering their mouths, suppressing their mirth at the glazed expression on Epirus' face.

"Er… that's nice…" he interjected dazedly as Ruby paused to take a breath.

Before the brunette could continue, Blake quickly moved her hand over to cover Ruby's mouth. "You'll have to excuse her," the Cat Faunus murmured. "She gets a little overexcited when talking about her weapon."

" _Crescent Rose_ is _not_ just a weapon," Ruby mumbled behind Blake's hand.

"Yes, love," Pyrrha snickered softly. "She's your sweetheart."

Ruby's silver eyes took on a dangerous glint then, and not a moment later Blake's hand shot away from her mouth.

"Did you seriously just lick me?" Blake asked, incredulous.

The brunette smirked as she sat back with her arms crossed. "Maybe."

The Cat Faunus huffed as she sat back as well. "You are just lucky you're so cute."

"It does allow her to get away with quite a bit," Pyrrha added humorously.

Just then they heard the honk of a horn, indicating their ride had arrived.

"All right, then, have a good evening you three," Epirus called out, looking more bemused than anything as he waved from his chair.

"We will, thank you father!" Pyrrha replied, waving over her shoulder.

The three girls headed down the sidewalk, all of them breathing a sigh of relief at the cooler evening air.

"So, did you guys bring your lipstick along?" Ruby asked innocently.

"I did, yes," Pyrrha replied, patting her handbag. Blake nodded as well.

"Goodie," the brunette smirked. "That means we can make out in the back seat."

"Ruby!"

* * *

Fortunately, they got there in plenty of time for their reservation, as the three of them needed to stop by the restroom first to freshen up. And reapply lipstick.

They were seated soon thereafter at a round table towards the far side of the restaurant. Blake was in the middle with her back to the wall, and both Pyrrha and Ruby scooted in closer so that they might all hold hands under the table while they waited for service.

"This really is quite lovely," the Cat Faunus murmured, glancing up at the numerous sparkling chandeliers.

"Fancy," Ruby agreed with a giggle, eyeing the paintings lining the walls. "I don't suppose they give you real portions here?"

"It's not _that_ fancy," Pyrrha protested mildly, giving the brunette a pointed look, one which she returned with a smirk. "But yes, the portions are decently sized. No burgers, I'm afraid."

"I suppose I'll just have to branch out," Ruby sighed with feigned melodrama. "Will you help me choose?"

"I think I know what you might enjoy," the redhead mused, nodding towards the open menu in front of her. "The Alfredo Pasta Charcuterie is excellent, though a bit heavy…"

Ruby's face screwed up into an adorable mask of confusion. "Alfie Pasta Charred-what-now?"

Pyrrha giggled lightly. "It's like mac and cheese with bacon."

"Sold!" the brunette announced. "How about you, kitty cat?"

Blake was sitting back in her chair already, a wide and pleased grin on her face. She gave both girls' hands a gentle squeeze as she answered. "They have salmon."

"Ooooh, gettin' your chocolate, huh?" Ruby snickered.

"Perhaps she will make those adorable little noises once more while she eats," Pyrrha teased.

The raven-haired girl let out a huff of faked irritation. "Really?"

"You know we love you, Blakey," the diminutive brunette smiled warmly.

Just then they noticed someone had paused by their table. Expecting it to be their waiter, the three looked up, only to be surprised by the group of young adults who clustered eagerly in the aisle.

"You're Pyrrha Nikos," the first one stated breathlessly. She was a brunette of medium height, wearing a strapless blue dress that matched her eyes currently shining brightly with fervor.

Pyrrha let out a barely audible sigh as she let go of Blake's hand and sat up straighter. She quickly plastered her customary fake, professional smile on her face and tried to push down her irritation at having her date interrupted.

"Yes, I am," she replied pleasantly.

" _Ohhh_ , it's such an honor to meet you," another girl gushed, this one with a long-sleeved turquoise dress and a short bob of blonde hair. "We're all _huuuge_ fans!"

"That's very nice to hear," the redhead murmured.

"You're a lot hotter in person," a brunet boy smirked from the right. He wore a dark suit, and his glittering black eyes roamed over her body shamelessly.

"Not cool, Derek," another blond boy in a matching suit muttered from behind the others.

Derek ignored the glares he was receiving from the two girls accompanying him, as well as those from Pyrrha's girlfriends. _And those are the ones you need to be worrying about,_ she thought to herself wryly.

"While it is nice to meet… fans," Pyrrha stated demurely, giving the obnoxious boy a hard glance. "I'm afraid this isn't really the place…"

"Oh, come on now, big celebrity like you?" Derek leered. "Surely you have time for the little folk?"

Ruby cleared her throat. By the look on her face, she was trying very hard to restrain herself, likely cognizant of both the setting and the publicity. "You're interrupting our date," the brunette said firmly. "Would you please leave me and my girlfriends in peace?"

Both of the girls and the more polite of the boys nodded and began to back away, but the remaining male didn't seem to want to relent any.

"Nice, girlfriends, eh? That's sexy."

With a sigh, Ruby pulled her napkin off of her lap and set it on the table. "Okay, now _this_ one I'm gonna fight."

Pyrrha reached across Blake, who seemed to be growling quietly and giving the boy in question a death glare. She placed a restraining hand on Ruby's arm before she turned back towards the interloper. The redhead smiled, though it had plenty of steel behind it.

"You want to walk away right now," she stated quietly. "Before I allow my _Huntress_ girlfriends to eviscerate you."

Derek, now faced with three sets of glares that were fierce enough to skewer a Grimm, evidently was finally able to take a hint.

"Um, y- yeah, I'll just… go now…"

He sheepishly sauntered away, but not before earning a smack upside the back of his head from the blonde.

Pyrrha let out an exasperated sigh, but it broke into a giggle to mirror the ones from Ruby and Blake.

"Wow, Pyrrha Nikos, you're _sooo_ famous," Ruby teased lightly.

Blake smirked, her amber eyes glowing with humor. "Might I have an autograph?"

The redhead desperately tried to hide her grin as she shot them a mock glare. "You know, I have two perfectly comfortable couches for the pair of you…"

"No, anything but that!" the brunette wailed softly.

"Mmm, we'll behave," Blake relented as well. "There's no way we can spend a night away from our fluffy fox."

"And don't you forget it," Pyrrha smiled warmly as the waiter finally arrived to take their orders.

_I'll have to remember this… About time I found a way to gain an advantage over these two…_

She had to chuckle to herself, though, as she was well aware it was an empty threat at best.

There was no possible way she could spend a night apart from her little rose and kitty cat, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, the adoring fans. "Pyrrha Nikos, you're my hero…" Okay, new brilliant idea. Someone needs to do a remake of Ferris Bueller's Day Off but with RWBY characters. Heck, let's make it Purruby, we'll have Ruby as Ferris, Blake as Cameron, and Pyrrha as Sloane… Yang could do a cameo as Jeanie, and we can use Weiss for Charlie Sheen's character… No, bad Dongyrn, stop thinking of more things to write, you can't keep up with what you already have…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	56. Chapter 56

"And neither of you have ever done this before?" Ruby asked incredulously as she walked in between her girlfriends.

"City girl, remember?" Blake replied wryly.

Pyrrha shook her head as well, her long red ponytail swaying behind her. "I did not have the time for such things when I was growing up."

The brunette let out a long-suffering sigh as she wrapped her arms around each girl's waist, drawing them in close. "My girlfriends are so deprived," she stated sadly.

"And that is why we have you, little rose," Pyrrha giggled. "To educate us in such matters."

"Among other things," Blake added _sotto voce_. Ruby giggled as well at that and leaned over to plant a quick kiss on the raven-haired girl's cheek.

They were heading down towards the waterfront of Mistral, the only side of the city not bordered by swampland. As they approached, each of them let out a sigh of relief at the cooler breeze coming in off of the ocean.

"Wow, Pyrrha, why don't your parents live over this way?" Ruby asked curiously. "It's so much nicer!"

"Because most Mistralians have the same idea," the redhead laughed lightly. "You would not believe the real estate prices down this way."

The trio paused at the docs, searching along the wooden and concrete pathways for a certain vendor that Ruby had insisted would be present.

"Found one!" the brunette chirped, her sniper eyes quickly spying her target on the far end.

The three of them set off once more. All were clad in shorts and tank tops, much to Ruby's delight, as she'd take any excuse to see more of her girlfriend's skin.

Not that she was staring, or anything.

"You're ogling," Blake murmured.

 _Orrr_ maybe she was.

"Can you blame me, though?" the brunette protested. "I've got the hottest girls in all of Remnant on my arms!"

"Well, I certainly feel the same way," Pyrrha laughed.

"Mmm," Blake agreed. "Still, we _are_ in public."

"And I'm keeping my ogling perfectly respectful," Ruby proclaimed loftily. "Nobody knows what's going on inside my head."

" _We_ know," the other two answered in unison.

"Can't prove a thing," the brunette snickered as they walked up to the umbrella-covered cart. It had a cooler attached to it, but more important were the buckets of fishing poles sitting on the ground.

"Hi, there!" Ruby chirped cheerfully. "We'd like to rent three poles, and buy some bait as well, please!"

"Sure thing," the vendor, a gray-haired young man with furry koala ears on top of his head replied. He paused, though, upon seeing Pyrrha. The two of them stared at each other for a brief instant before smiles grew on their faces.

"Oh my Oum, Pyrrha!"

"Krebbs! My goodness, it's been years!"

The taller redhead gave the thin boy a quick hug before stepping back and turning to her girlfriends with an excited gleam in her emerald eyes.

"Girls, this is Krebbs Cinereal, my childhood friend from before Sanctum. Krebbs, these are my girlfriends, Ruby Rose and Blake Belladonna."

"Girlfriends?" the Koala Faunus laughed merrily. "Damn, Pyrrha, you've certainly come a long way!"

The redhead blushed lightly, though she couldn't keep a grin off of her face. "Yes, well… I am certainly more happy than I've ever been, that is for certain."

Krebbs nodded towards the other girls amicably. He suddenly perked up a bit as a breeze blew in from behind the three of them.

"Well, well," he grinned at the Cat Faunus. "And Mated, as well?"

Now it was the raven-haired girl's turn to blush brightly. "Er, not quite," she murmured. "We're, well… That is, it's in the early stages still."

"Ahh, gotcha." He gave Pyrrha a wink. "You're a lucky girl to be sharing a scent with such beautiful women!"

"We like to think so," Ruby replied with a wide smile as she gave the redhead a one-armed hug.

"Right! So you ladies wanna do some fishing!" Krebbs clapped his hands together. "Beginners?"

"They are," the brunette stated, inclining her red-tipped head. "But I've done this before."

"Excellent, then I'll just let you do your thing. One regular pole and two novice ones, three sets of bait…"

The grey-haired boy pulled their items together and accepted Ruby's lien before waving them off merrily.

"Just bring them back whenever you can!" he called out as they headed down one of the docks. "I'm here till sundown!"

"Thank you, Krebbs!" Pyrrha called back with a wave.

"So," Ruby murmured. "Guess it's that obvious we share products now, huh?"

Blake nodded happily. "Told you it would be for another Faunus." She eyed the two of them. "And you're both still okay with that, right?"

"You kidding me?" the brunette exclaimed. "That was such a cool feeling, like, he just caught a sniff and was all, 'oh you three are bonded together'! That was awesome!"

Pyrrha giggled quietly. "Well, I would not say I had quite the same reaction… But yes, it was quite pleasant to have our relationship acknowledged in such a fashion, even if I had already informed him of such."

The Cat Faunus sighed contentedly and wrapped her arms around the two of them. "I love you both so much."

"And I love the both of you as well," Pyrrha smiled.

"Ditto," Ruby added with a smirk. "And you still gotta tell us about this whole Mating thing, you know."

"When you're ready," Pyrrha quickly interjected.

"Oh, for sure," Ruby hastened to agree. "No pressure or anything."

The raven-haired girl smiled once more and nodded. "I will, someday soon. There's no rush, though."

"Nope," Ruby replied. "We're not going anywhere."

They ended up at the edge of the pier, which was thankfully unoccupied. Several other jetties had some people also fishing, but the three of them could enjoy the solitude.

"Okay, so lemme give you guys a few pointers," Ruby began, laying the poles out. "This one is mine, it's a little more of a complicated spincaster, so don't worry about it for right now…"

The petite brunette proceeded to show the other two how to properly bait their hooks and cast out into the water. They practiced a few times before all three of them were sitting on the side of the dock, bare feet dangling out over the edge and with their poles in hand. Silver, amber, and green eyes stared out at the bobbing floats.

"This is quite relaxing," Pyrrha murmured, resting her head atop Blake's.

"Mmm."

"Yeah, wish we had some decent chairs," Ruby mused. "But this is nice." She leaned over as well and laid her head on the raven-haired girl's shoulder.

The three of them sat in silence for another ten minutes or so, just enjoying the weather, the peace, and each other.

Until Pyrrha's line began to jerk.

"Oh!" the redhead exclaimed. "Oh, oh, oh! What do I do?"

"Reel it in!" Ruby replied excitedly. She and Blake put their poles down, securing them into helpful iron rings there for just that purpose, as they stood up on either side of Pyrrha. The Mistralian native was bouncing on her toes, eagerly retracting the line.

Soon enough a small, wiggling fish came into view.

"Okay, bring it this way… Yep, just like that…" The brunette reached out and grabbed hold of the catch, slipping it off of the hook and dropping it to the pier behind them. "Congrats, fluffy fox! You…"

She trailed off as she watched Blake hurl herself forward to pounce on the frantic fish. It shot out from under her and back into the water.

Pyrrha and Ruby just stared at their girlfriend, open-mouthed, as she slowly turned to face them. Her face was bright crimson with mortification as she wrung her hands together.

"I'm so sorry, Pyrrha," Blake whispered, her bottom lip trembling. "I just… I just couldn't help myself…"

Ruby cleared her throat. "Um… kitty cat… What exactly were you trying to do?"

"I don't know!" the Cat Faunus wailed quietly. Tears were now welling up in her amber orbs. "I didn't mean to! It was just _there_ , and I couldn't help it! It was worse than a Dust-damned laser pointer!"

Pyrrha chuckled lightly and crouched down to enfold her distraught girlfriend in a warm hug. "It's quite alright, love, not like we wouldn't have returned it back to the water anyway, right?"

"But that's not the point!" Blake sniffled. "It was your catch!"

Ruby sighed as she squatted next to Blake as well, rubbing her back gently. "And she already forgave you, sweetie. What's really bothering you?"

The raven-haired girl was silent for another heartbeat before she spoke up again, her words barely audible. "I'm not just some animal, slave to her base instincts."

"No, you are not," Pyrrha reassured her gently. "You are our girlfriend and lover who we absolutely adore for all that you are."

"And this is part of you, kitty cat," Ruby added. "We love and accept every part of you. Okay?"

"Okay," Blake replied in a small, sheepish voice. "I'll try better next time."

"You don't have to do that," Pyrrha laughed, helping the Cat Faunus to her feet. "If you want to pounce, then pounce!"

Blake nodded slowly, her hands reaching up to adjust her bow. "It's just… difficult. Going against every hard-earned lesson to… not be myself."

"But with us, you can," Ruby smiled gently.

She nodded once more, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand. A small smile crept across her face. "Shall we return to our fishing?"

"Yes, let's," the redhead replied warmly.

They placed new bait on Pyrrha's hook, and before long had returned to their original positions. Ruby snuck a glance up at her Faunus lover, noting that her face had once again attained some measure of peace.

A little part of the brunette was irrationally angry that someone with so much potential for being a free spirit had spent most of her life chained within the constraints of society's prejudices. Blake was beautiful in her eyes no matter what, but when she could be herself, be openly Faunus, she really shone like a brilliant star.

Right then and there, it was suddenly cemented in Ruby's mind that she was truly going to spend the rest of her life with these two girls. They hadn't really discussed the far future very much, but she knew that what the three of them had together - Blake's freedom, Pyrrha's cheer, her own confidence - was far stronger for the bond they shared. And she was willing to defend that bond, their love, with every fiber of her being.

For now, though, she was content to smile softly and nuzzle Blake's shoulder. "I love you guys."

"Love you too, little rose," Blake murmured, turning slightly to place a kiss on the crown of her head. Pyrrha reached her arm around and hugged the two of them in close.

"I love you both so very much," the redhead whispered gratefully. "Thank you again for being here with me."

"Pyrrha," the brunette smiled. "There's no place on Remnant I'd rather be than by your sides."

"Mmm," Blake agreed, with a good deal of her own gratitude.

 _Yeah,_ Ruby thought to herself warmly. _I'm not going anywhere. Ever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I often enjoy sticking little easter eggs inside my stories to see who picks up on them. However, this one took me so long (because for the life of me I couldn't remember the right movie) that I'm just gonna give it to you. Krebbs was the koala in the 1990 animated Disney film Rescuers Down Under. Ahh, the classics.
> 
> Two more Mistral chapters with the Purruby girls, and then we'll check in with Freezerburn over in Atlas!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	57. Chapter 57

Blake sighed softly from where she perched by the window in Pyrrha's room. She stared out the glass, for all the good it did her. She could perhaps make out the end of the yard, even with her enhanced vision, but everything else was obscured by the downpour currently underway.

And then, in the blink of an eye, the deluge intensified further, and she could no longer see anything past the window pane.

"Well, I don't see _this_ letting up anytime soon," she murmured.

The Cat Faunus turned her head with a slight smile as she heard Ruby's happy chatter approaching up the stairs. The brunette was deep into one of her favorite topics, weapon enhancements, though this time she was expounding on all of the creative upgrades possible for Pyrrha's shield. The redhead had apologized earlier about not having any games or the like to entertain them, but they were all content enough to simply lounge together in her bedroom and watch movies during the inclement weather.

"...And if you add just a _small_ compartment inside, you could trigger it, and then _boom_!" As the petite girl came through the room, she flung her arms upwards, narrowly missing the tray of hot cocoa that Pyrrha was carrying. Fortunately, the leggy redhead was well versed in her girlfriend's antics by now and deftly dodged the flailing about. "Next time it gets hit, they'll eat a faceful of red dust!"

"But Ruby, what would prevent me from being affected as well?" Pyrrha asked with an indulgent smile. She set the tray down on top of her desk, giving Blake a wink.

"Well, we'd have to reinforce it somewhat," the brunette replied, her brow furrowed in concentration. Ruby's fingers flexed slightly as if she were aching for a pencil and draft paper to start designing upon. "Maybe increase the circumference?"

"And then what would happen when she throws _Akouo_?" Blake asked gently, before giving Pyrrha a quick kiss in thanks for the steaming mug.

"Oh," the brunette said, momentarily perplexed. "Um… bigger _boom_?"

"I appreciate the thought, little rose," Pyrrha laughed gently, leaning over to give her a kiss on the crown of her red-tipped crown of hair. "But I do not need my weapons to spontaneously explode on me. It sort of defeats the purpose of my fighting style."

"Oh, well," Ruby sighed, downcast. She stared into the depths of her hot chocolate as if for inspiration. "What about… Ohhh, got it!" The brunette hopped excitedly onto Pyrrha's bed to sit cross-legged, miraculously not spilling a drop. "How about a caliber upgrade for _Milo_? Make it hit harder?"

"That does sound grand," Pyrrha replied easily as she folded herself down next to her. "The kickback is relatively gentle right now, I could certainly handle more… But I have to ask, though, why the sudden concern regarding my weaponry?"

"Well, you know…" Ruby shifted uncomfortably before taking a sip of her drink. Her eyes watered slightly as her tongue scalded. "You got a birthday coming up soon, right?"

Blake smiled as she gracefully dropped down to her feet and sauntered over to the bed. She let her fingers trail along Ruby's arm as she moved around her to sit on the other side. "I suspect there is more to it than that…" the Cat Faunus murmured.

"Ruby…" the redhead prompted warmly when it didn't seem as if the reluctant brunette would be forthcoming. "Please talk to us, something is obviously bothering you."

"I just…" Ruby sighed, staring out the window, and swallowed. "I had this really… weird… dream last night…" Blake watched the silver-eyed girl's fingers tighten around her mug, the liquid rippling. "I guess it was more like a nightmare, really," she finally whispered.

Pyrrha and Blake shared a quick glance, and as one they placed their mugs on the endtable closest to them before wrapping their diminutive girlfriend up in a warm hug. "Do you want to talk about it?" Blake murmured.

To her surprise, Ruby actually began trembling, her breath hitching slightly. Pyrrha reached across to pluck the mug out of the brunette's hands and place it next to hers, returning her arm to rub gently on the smaller girl's back.

 _I've never seen a dream affect her like this, not while still awake_ , Blake thought to herself worriedly.

Ruby sniffed slightly before she began, her voice so quiet and withdrawn that the redhead had to duck her head slightly to hear.

"We were all fighting something… well, lots of things, Grimm and White Fang and… other stuff. And we all got split up… And P- Pyrrha, you were all a- alone, and…" Her breath hitched as she choked back a sob. "And I tried to g- get to you, but I was t- too late…"

"Shhh," Pyrrha murmured, rocking back and forth in time with Blake as the two girls tried to console their distraught girlfriend. "It's okay, little rose, I'm right here…"

"I don't wanna lose you, Pyrrha," Ruby whispered desperately. "You or Blakey, I don't ever wanna lose you guys, I don't… I don't know what I'd do if… if…"

Blake rested her chin on the top of Ruby's head, her cheek pressed against Pyrrha's forehead as they encircled the brunette in their love. She wondered how she could possibly reassure her when the profession they were training for was so inherently dangerous.

Finally, Ruby's trembling stopped, and she let out a shaky breath. "I don't… I feel really bad to ask… Can you guys promise me something?"

"What is it, little rose?" Pyrrha asked gently.

Ruby sat up, and both of the others leaned away though still keeping their arms around them all.

"Please…" Ruby murmured, her eyes bloodshot and puffy. "Please don't ever throw your lives away, okay? I mean… Together we can handle anything, right?"

"Absolutely," Blake replied firmly, giving the both of them a squeeze. "I have no intention of losing what we three have together."

Pyrrha nodded firmly. "I would never willingly leave the two of you," she stated with conviction. "I love you far too much to ever do that to you."

"Okay," Ruby sighed, her eyes closed as she nodded slowly. "Okay. Thanks, guys." She wiggled her way free of their embrace, wiping her face with the shoulder of her short sleeved shirt. "Um, I'm gonna go wash up real quick, alright?"

Blake watched her go, letting out a soft sigh of her own. "That must have been some nightmare," she whispered sadly.

"Indeed," Pyrrha murmured. She shifted over to wrap her arms around Blake, resting her head upon the Cat Faunus' shoulder. "I suppose I can understand her fears, though."

"Yes," Blake murmured. "I, for one, can recognize from my past actions, how reckless I might have become without the two of you."

"And I suppose I might have, were the circumstances to present themselves, felt the need to…" Pyrrha paused, searching for the right word. "...sacrifice myself for the greater good."

"But not now?" the raven-haired girl probed.

"No," Pyrrha shook her head gently. "You both are my greater good. I would do so in a heartbeat to protect either of you, but Ruby was correct. Together, the three of us can handle anything that comes our way."

Blake smiled, nuzzling her cheek against Pyrrha's hair and smelling her shared scent of lavender. "I agree."

They sat like that for a few minutes, waiting for Ruby to return.

And then, with a loud _crack_ of thunder, the lights went out.

"Fuckwaffles!" they heard squawked from the hallway, before a loud _thump_ sounded against the door, followed by, "...Ow."

Blake giggled lightly, giving Pyrrha's hand a squeeze. "Sit tight, I'll go retrieve her."

Her eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, the very dim light from the window enough to illuminate her way. She opened the door carefully so as not to bump into Ruby.

Who was currently sitting on the ground and rubbing her head irritably.

"Oh, hey Blakey," the brunette murmured as Blake crouched next to her and grasped her arm gently. "Um… I tripped."

"We heard," Blake chuckled. "Come on, let's get you to the bed."

The Cat Faunus helped her over, settling both Ruby and Pyrrha together. She then took off after getting directions as to where candles and matches might be. Pyrrha's parents were still at work, and likely due much later if the rain did not let up anytime soon.

She returned soon enough with several bulky candles and proceed to place them around the room, lighting them as she went. She placed one on each endtable before curling up next to where Ruby and Pyrrha snuggled together.

"So, it would appear movies are out," Blake murmured. "Unless we want to watch from one of our scrolls?"

"Actually," Ruby interjected, blushing lightly. "I was wondering if… um… Could you read to us, kitty cat?" she finally blurted out bashfully.

"Really?" she replied, somewhat taken aback.

"Oh, that would be grand," Pyrrha quickly agreed with a wide smile. "I do enjoy listening to your voice, love."

"Oh." Blake blinked uncertainly, gazing across at the silver and emerald green eyes looking back at her with warm certainty. The both of them gave her eager nods. "Well, alright then."

She retrieved one of her favorite books from her luggage and then ensconced herself in between her girlfriends, the three of them resting with their backs to Pyrrha's headboard, propped up on several pillows. Blake opened the book up to the first page, glancing down at the long red hair spilling out on her right, and the short red-tipped hair resting against her left shoulder.

She was momentarily struck speechless by the overwhelming love she felt for the both of them. Any uncertainty of her feelings for them, of their future together, had long since been banished, but it was further cemented in her mind how utterly complete her life now was.

 _Soon,_ she thought to herself firmly. _When we return to Beacon, perhaps… That's when I will sit down with them and talk about Mating. Because I want nothing more than to be bound, permanently and evermore, to these two wonderful, incredible women._

"Anything wrong, kitty cat?" Ruby murmured inquisitively.

Blake smiled, pressing her lips against first Ruby's forehead, and then Pyrrha's. "Absolutely nothing at all," she sighed happily.

Her amber eyes focused on the book in front of her as she began to read.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What prompted the bit about Ruby's nightmare was that I finally got to listen to the Season 3 soundtrack on Youtube ('cause fuck iTunes), and I got to Cold… and bawled my eyes out. Fuck that, there's no way I'm losing Pyrrha in my 'verse in any of my stories. Ain't happening. Take that, RT. (Though she's still gonna have a rough time of it in Ember Legacy… shhh, spoilers…) That said, the soundtrack overall is brilliant.
> 
> Fuckwaffles is one of my new favorite curses, all credit goes to the fabulous NobleMETA. And I'm sure everyone can guess what Blake's favorite book series is. I can see her relating somewhat to it. Next chapter brings Mistral to a close!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	58. Chapter 58

Pyrrha jogged along at an easy, loping pace, her athletic legs eating up the ground as her long red ponytail swayed behind her. She was, as expected, covered in a sheen of sweat from the early heat and humidity, even though the sun had only just risen at the start of her jog, Granted, that was an hour ago, but it would seem that today, the Saturday before the girls returned to Beacon, was going to be an especially brutal one.

She stole a quick glance over her shoulder. Blake was still doggedly keeping pace, though the bow atop her head looked to be practically wilting, and her dark tank top and shorts were as wet as if she'd been swimming in the ocean.

_Which I'm sure, at this point, she'd have easily preferred…_

About a quarter of a mile back, Ruby was still gamely carrying on. The petite girl was adamant when they'd started out that neither of her girlfriends should ease their pace for her, to simply keep on and she'd catch up if she fell behind. Even if it meant her using her semblance to do so.

From the looks of it, however, she had been drawing heavily on her aura just to stay within sight of the others. The petite brunette, her sleek muscles working hard, was just as drenched with sweat.

Letting out a short, amused huff, Pyrrha took note of where they were. It wasn't exactly taking it easy on them, per se, but a little shortcut in her usual route wouldn't be noticed…

She turned at the next junction, cutting through the backyard of one of her childhood friends (who no longer even lived in Mistral anymore, from what she'd heard) and into her own neighborhood once more. Only another ten more minutes saw her once again in her backyard, slowing down to a fast walk and swinging her arms about. She noticed her father watching from the kitchen window and waved to him merrily.

Blake arrived soon on her heels, halfheartedly trying to keep moving, though the Cat Faunus looked ready to collapse.

"You alright, kitty cat?" Pyrrha asked breathlessly.

The raven-haired girl merely nodded, holding up one thumb before standing still and leaning over, her hands on her knees as she gulped down great lungfuls of air.

Ruby had no such compunctions once she arrived, and after staggering into the back yard, unceremoniously collapsed into a heap on the grass.

"Ruby, sweetie…" Pyrrha laughed lightly as she crouched by the puddle of red-clad brunette. "If you don't keep moving, your muscles will lock up, you know this."

"Ruby Rose is no longer present," the petite girl panted. "There is only pain. Pain, and sweat. That's all that's left of me."

Blake let out a groan as she abandoned any pretense of dignity and flopped down next to the brunette, propped up on her elbows. "How… can you… even stand… still…?" she asked, chest still heaving.

"What, in this weather?" Pyrrha smirked ever so slightly. "It's not all that bad out this early. A relatively nice day, compared to others I've experienced."

Blake tiredly turned her head to regard the redhead, her amber eyes peering out from under the bangs matted across her face. "You will have to imagine me glaring at you. I don't have the energy to actually do so."

"But we were supposed to spar next!" Pyrrha exclaimed humorously. She knew there was no way in all of Dust-loving Remnant either girl would be up for any more training that day, but still, it was fun to tease them a little bit.

"Fluffy fox," Ruby mumbled, her face still in the grass. "I love you… but I kinda wanna hurt you right now…"

Pyrrha giggled as she sat down on her haunches. "Well, I am very sorry to hear that… I mean, if you were to hurt me, then I couldn't take you both to get ice cream…"

Both the other girls perked up at that. "I propose we hold off on any grievous injury until further notice," Blake murmured with a wry grin.

Ruby lifted her hand up slightly. "Seconded." She let it drop back again with a flop.

"Besides which," Pyrrha added. "For being such good sports, I could always… take special care of the both of you tonight."

Her brunette girlfriend finally rolled over at that, silver eyes sparkling at the notion. "I like the sound of that," she sighed dreamily.

"Mmm," Blake agreed, her own amber eyes anticipatory.

"Come on then," the redhead said with a grunt as she levered herself up. She leaned back over, her hands extended towards her lovers. "Let's go get you two treats."

"Yes, ma'am," Ruby grinned, accepting the help to her feet.

* * *

Epirus watched from the kitchen, his arms crossed, as his daughter accompanied her girlfriends down the street, presumably towards the ice cream stand just on the other side.

"You're pondering quite loudly, dear," his wife mentioned mildly from where she sat at the kitchen table, perusing a home decorating magazine.

"I'm not pondering, Lena," he replied quietly. "Just… thinking."

"Pondering."

He let out an amused huff of air as he turned from the window once his daughter was out of sight. She'd kept hold of her girlfriends' hands as they walked away.

"I'm just still struggling with the concept."

Helena smiled without looking up from her magazine. "Which one, Epi? The fact that our daughter has two girlfriends? Or that she is an adult now and able to make her own decisions?" She did glance up then, spearing her husband with a knowing look. "Or is it the... other activities that the three of them engage in behind closed doors?"

Flushing slightly, Epirus took a seat across from his wife. "I don't know how you can talk about that so casually," he grumbled.

"Because we raised our girl to be able to make her own choices, and make them wisely," Helena replied levelly, turning the page. "Ohh, this one is nice. Really, though, if our daughter is as in love with Ruby and Blake as she seems to be, who are we to question her level of intimacy?"

"We're her parents!"

"Yes, Epi, and she's an adult."

He sighed heavily, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. "As usual, you're correct."

"I know dear," she replied with a very small smirk. "But it's nice of you to admit it."

"I've had a lot of practice."

"Again, very true. So then, what is left for you to ponder over?"

Epirus sat back and crossed his arms. "Two girls, Lena?"

Sighing herself, Helena closed her magazine and regarded her husband fully. "Have you ever, in all her years, seen Pyrrha as happy as she is with both of those girls?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Are you at all concerned about her being with a girl, rather than a boy?"

"No, of course not, I just-"

"And you've seen all three of them train while they have been home. Oum, if I wasn't happily married to you, and if I were a couple decades or so younger, the little one might have caught my eye. She has quite the physique."

"Lena!" her husband barked out somewhat scandalously. She just giggled lightly and waved his protest away.

"All I am saying is that the three of them certainly haven't slacked off any with their training, or their grades for that matter as I understand it. Pyrrha has two very beautiful, talented, and caring girlfriends. How is this any different than if she were to just be with one or the other?"

Epirus tapped his fingers on the kitchen table, mulling over his wife's words. "I… suppose you are correct."

"Yes dear," Helena replied sweetly, opening her magazine back up again. "So you accept that our daughter is happy?"

"I do, yes," he sighed. "And I accept the fact that she's an adult, able to make her own decisions, even if I cannot always comprehend them."

"And in the end, that's all that matters, Epi," she stated warmly. "Would you be a dear and make me some tea?"

Epirus levered himself up from the chair, pausing to place a tender kiss on Helena's forehead. "Of course, my love."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that resolves our time in Mistral! Credit for the first half of the story goes to the very excellent NobleMETA who gave me the idea. And then in the second half, we see Epirus has finally accepted fully the Purruby relationship. Yay! Next up: Freezerburn in Atlas! Double yay!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	59. Chapter 59

Yang sat as calmly as she could in the back seat of the limousine. She'd had to physically still her right leg from bouncing up and down several times.

The blonde knew she was wired for action, not restraint. It had been a difficult lesson to learn, when to hold back and when to tackle things head on, temper notwithstanding. The diminutive white-haired girl sitting next to her had a good deal to do with said lessons, as she had a sharp tongue and acerbic wit to match Yang in all of her hotheaded glory and bring her back down to reality.

Granted, sometimes when she got herself spun up, Weiss would have the opposite effect of calm. When ice and fire clashed, bystanders best flee.

She let herself chuckle mildly at the thought. _And the makeup sex ain't half bad, either…_

"This will be fine," she heard Weiss mutter under her breath. At this point, her unending mantra over the past fifteen minutes could just as easily apply to the heiress as to herself. "This will be fine."

"Relax, babe," Yang murmured soothingly, giving her hand a squeeze from where she clasped it in between them on the seat. "What's the worst that could happen?"

The blonde chuckled again, this time at the incredulous, gaping look that she received.

"Yeah, okay, nevermind…"

Weiss let out a frustrated huff. "I just… I know this will be difficult. No meeting with my father can be anything but. However…" The heiress closed her pale blue eyes wearily and leaned her head back against the seat. "Winter will be there as well. This will be a couple of weeks full of judgement, I'm afraid, both overt and implied."

The blonde knew that as far as Weiss' family went, her father and Winter were it. Weiss' mom had passed away some time back, not as long ago as Summer so that the memory was still fresh and painful enough that the petite girl didn't particularly care to reveal the details. Only that ever since she lost her mother, her remaining parent had become more… demanding.

"I get it, you're nervous," Yang smirked. "I won't tell anyone. Your… _Schnee_ -cret is safe with me."

Weiss cracked one eye open, the glare sufficient to send most mere mortals with good sense scurrying for cover.

Of course, Yang was anything but.

"You just need to stay calm, collected…" Yang's smirk widened slightly. "...and _Weiss_ y."

Both eyes were open now, but the glare was spoiled slightly by the slight upward curving of the corners of Weiss' mouth.

"And you don't need to worry about Winter giving us the… _cold_ shoulder," Yang continued merrily. "I'm sure she'll be perfectly… _Weiss_."

The heiress let out a soft groan. "You are such an oaf," she sighed, placing her head on Yang's shoulder and closing her eyes once more.

"But I'm _your_ oaf," Yang reminded her.

"True. Are you good now, got that out of your system?"

"Yeah, you know me, I'd never intentionally make you _Yangry_."

"Yang, sweetie… no…"

"I just wanna make a good impression, okay? Start the week off with a _Yang_?"

Weiss groaned once more, burrowing her face into Yang's shoulder. "Remind me again why it is I love you?"

"Because I'm insufferably hot?"

"No, no I'm sure that's not it…"

"The mind-blowing sex?"

"While that is a nice benefit, I'm certain there has to be something more…"

Yang reached over to gently lift the smirking heiress' face upwards by her chin. "Because I see you for who you are, and love and accept every part of you."

"Oh," the white-haired girl breathed, her smirk fading into a soft and wondrous smile. "Yes, I knew it had to be something like that…"

The blonde leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss against her lover's lips, heedless of any scrutiny they might be under from the driver or the security detail in the passenger seat up front. "I do love you," she murmured against Weiss' lips.

"And I do love you," Weiss replied quietly. "No matter what happens… over the next two weeks, please always remember that. How much I love you."

"How can I forget?" Yang grinned. "When I was the one to melt that heart of _Weiss_?"

The white-haired girl's eyes narrowed. "I can still toss you out of this limo, you know."

"Aww, don't be like that, princess…"

Weiss rolled her eyes and pressed her lips against Yang's once more, this time deepening the kiss.

As a strategy to get Yang to stop making terrible puns, it wasn't half bad. Definitely one the blonde could get behind.

* * *

They arrived at the White Castle soon thereafter. Yang craned her head to look out the window as they pulled through the massive gate, fortified enough to possibly hold up against a determined Goliath.

"Hey, Weiss."

"Hmm?"

"You sure this isn't a hotel?"

"No, sweetie," Weiss sighed affectionately. "This is my home."

Yang turned towards her, staring hard into her pale blue eyes. She'd found out long ago that they were the most expressive part of her girlfriend, showing her true thoughts under her normally pristine, sometimes prickly, exterior. And right now they shone with worry.

"This is not your home," she murmured intently. "This is where you grew up, nothing more."

Weiss blinked her eyes, worry now replaced by genuine confusion. "Then where is my home? Beacon?"

"Nope," Yang smirked. "Home is wherever you and I are together."

The heiress seemed to melt slightly right on the spot, her eyes now soft and inviting, like the surface of a warm summer ocean. "How can you make something so corny sound so amazingly loving?" Weiss murmured.

"I got me a lifetime of practice at being corny," Yang laughed softly, feeling the car come to a stop. "But you're the one who brings out the love."

Weiss giggled lightly, the sound like music to Yang's ears as always. She knew the normally reserved girl wouldn't be caught dead doing anything as undignified as actually _giggling_ in public, or even amongst friends usually. But the blonde felt her heart warm at the knowledge that her girlfriend had no such compunctions around her.

 _Gods_ , she loved the sound of her giggle.

"You ready for this?" Yang whispered, a smile still affixed on her face.

"So long as you're by my side," Weiss replied with a whisper of her own. "Yes, I'm ready for anything."

They emerged from the limo still holding hands. Servants scurried around with the pair's luggage, trotting up the wide and stretching steps in front of the palatial building.

_Actually, I think I've seen hotels smaller than this place._

Weiss had told her to expect to be greeted by George, the head butler who had been there as long as the heiress could remember, but instead another familiar figure was standing at the top of the steps, just outside the grand double doors. A person she'd never actually been formally introduced to, but the familial relation was undeniable.

Winter Schnee, older sister of Weiss and a Specialist in the Atlas military.

"Heeere we go," Yang murmured, giving Weiss' hand a steadying squeeze.

_Confidence, don't fail me now._

When they were within a few steps of the top, Winter graced them with a small, tight smile. One that reeked of forced politeness. "Weiss, how lovely to see you again."

"Hello, Winter," the white-haired girl at her side said amicably and with a great deal more warmth than she'd been greeted with. "It was very nice of you to meet us here."

Winter's smile momentarily became less forced and more… longing? Melancholy? Yang wasn't sure how to interpret it, as it was whisked away just as soon as it appeared. All it took was a glance in the blonde's direction for the polite mask to slip down once again.

_Ahhh, okay, good to know. So it's me, then._

_Somehow I don't think this is a situation I can punch my way out of._

If nothing else, though, having Weiss as a girlfriend had taught her some amount of diplomacy. Even if it were through osmosis alone.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Yang said with as much politeness as she could muster. "My name is Yang Xiao Long, I'm Weiss' girlfriend."

She noted out of the corner of her eye that Weiss had blushed brightly, whether because she hadn't introduced her yet or the fact that Yang had blatantly brought up their relationship, she wasn't sure. But the blonde wanted to establish that right off the bat, as well as determine Winter's reaction.

The elder Schnee sibling narrowed her eyes minutely, and Yang could have sworn there might have been a hint of a sneer that threatened to escape from her lips.

"Indeed," she replied, her tone notably colder. "Winter Schnee. Come along inside, please."

With that, the older woman spun on her heel and marched inside with military precision.

"So," Yang sighed. "Goin' well so far, yeah?"

Weiss just shook her head. "You'll have to forgive her, she's not normally-"

"Hey, it's okay," the blonde cut in. "She's definitely got a problem of some sort with me, but I can work with that. Doesn't look like it's _us_ , or the fact that I'm dating you, but _me_ personally."

The heiress frowned slightly as they moved inside. "I believe you're right," she murmured after a few moments. "I don't know what it could be, though…"

"Whelp, I'll figure it out." Yang gave her girlfriend a cheeky wink. "I got a vested interest in trying to make this work, after all."

Weiss sighed once more, but her frown slowly reversed direction into a very slight grin. "I'm glad you're here with me," she said softly. "I know I said it before, but… I mean it, really."

"I know, love," Yang murmured back as they followed Winter into what appeared to be a study.

If you could call a room the size of a basketball court, lined with bookshelves and overstuffed reading chairs, a study. She might have even been fooled into thinking that it was a library were it not for the ostentatious desk at the far end.

"I keep getting the feeling," Yang whispered out of the corner of her mouth, "that your dad is overcompensating for something…"

Weiss let out an inelegant snort of laughter that she quickly suppressed by covering her mouth with her free hand. She shot Yang a glare that held only exasperation and no real anger, which the blonde returned with a cheerful grin.

"So then," Winter began as she sat in a chair halfway down the room. "Let's sit for a bit before father arrives."

Fortunately, there was a loveseat at an angle facing the chair, and Yang was quick to pull Weiss down next to her upon it rather than the two chairs that the elder sibling had indicated with her inclined head. The blonde caught the brief flare of anger in the eyes that were so similar to her girlfriend's.

_Hmm, maybe my getting so good at reading Weiss will come in handy. Actually… from what she said, Winter is much more direct than anyone else in the family, let's work with that…_

Yang cleared her throat as she settled back, Weiss' hand still ensconced within her own. "So, Winter… I can tell there's something about me that's bugging you. Wanna clear the air right off the bat?"

She ignored the quick, shocked gasp from her side, instead focusing solely on the woman across from her.

Who, unexpectedly, gave a very small, though genuine, smile.

"Perhaps that's for the best," she murmured, crossing her legs at the knee while still maintaining her ramrod-straight posture. "I have a problem with your family."

Yang's brow furrowed momentarily before she suddenly recalled a conversation from some time ago that was eerily similar. "Ahhh, got it. You're talking about my Uncle Qrow."

"Full marks," Winter replied steadily.

Shrugging slightly, Yang gave her as guileless a smile as she could. "Whelp, all I can say is that I'm not my uncle. He's a good guy, really, once you get past the bitterness, and the drinking, and the combativeness, and…" She let out a slightly embarrassed cough. "Okay, you're just gonna have to trust me that he's genuinely a good guy. Took a lotta time out of his life to help raise me and Rubes."

"Now _that_ I find hard to believe," Winter stated flatly. She held her hand up to forestall Yang's protest. "Not that I'm discrediting what you're saying, just… It doesn't match up with the man I know."

"Well, maybe you just don't know him as well as you think you do?" the blond opined. "Or in a setting other than you're used to dealing with him?"

"Perhaps." The older white-haired woman leaned forward, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I don't trust you with my little sister, though."

"Because of my uncle."

"Precisely."

"Interestingly enough, I heard the same thing regarding you from my Uncle Qrow," Yang replied levelly. "And yet, here we are."

Winter sat back once more, her blue eyes widened slightly. "Interesting indeed…" Her gaze flickered to their entwined hands, and a very slight look of distaste crossed her face. "As difficult as this might be to stomach… I do know from prior conversations with Weiss just how happy you make her."

Yang and Weiss shared a brief smile. "Believe me, the feeling's mutual," the blonde murmured.

"Very well." Winter stood up and smoothed down the front of her militaristic outfit. "I will… reserve judgment on you until I get to know you better."

"That's all I ask for," Yang replied earnestly.

Winter gave her a brief nod before leaning over to give her younger sister a quick hug, much to Weiss' surprise if her sudden stiffening was any indication.

"It's good to see you again, Weiss."

"You too, Winter. I've missed you."

"And I, you. We shall catch up over dinner, yes?"

"Of course."

Winter turned to leave, but paused and glanced over her shoulder.

"Father will be along shortly to greet you both. I imagine he will want to speak with Yang separately. I'd advise going along with it… as well as keeping that same confidence you seem to exude."

"That's the plan," Yang smirked.

Winter offered the both of them another small smile before departing.

Both Yang and her girlfriend let out a relieved breath. "That went… well?" Weiss stated hesitantly.

"I think so. Kinda figured it had something to do with me, but I got two weeks, or however long she's here, to convince her I'm not my uncle. Not that he's a bad guy, like I said, he's just…" Yang paused, struggling for the correct words.

"Drunk and obnoxious when he wants to be?" Weiss asked with a slight grin.

"Well, yeah. You seemed to get along with him well enough."

"Well enough, yes. But I can see how his personality would clash with my sister's."

"Hmm, true…" Yang tapped her free hand on her thigh thoughtfully. "Well, that was the easy one, in any case. Still gotta meet with your dad."

"Yes," Weiss replied softly.

The blonde leaned over and placed a quick kiss on the crown of her white hair. "It's okay, babe. I can be charming."

"Charming doesn't mean shit with him," she growled softly.

Yang barked out a quick laugh at her girlfriend's uncharacteristic profanity. "Well, regardless, I can handle him."

Weiss just shook her head, but as she opened her mouth to reply the door to the study opened once more to admit a man in a white suit, striding forward with quick, determined steps as if he expected the very world to remove itself from his path.

_Enter Papa Schnee. Showtime._

Weiss quickly let go of Yang's hand and leapt to her feet, dipping her head respectfully as the man approached. "Hello, father."

"Weiss," he greeted her curtly. His pale blue eyes, far colder than his younger daughter's ever were, focused only on the blonde now standing by said girl's side.

To be fair, Yang's gaze was focused on him as well. More precisely, the spot of hair that existed on his upper lip like a fuzzy white caterpillar.

The blonde was torn between incredulity and humor. _People actually take him seriously with that thing on his face?_

Fortunately the shock of seeing the facial aberrance gave her enough time to keep her face a neutral mask. Which was likely the only reason she didn't get booted out of the house on the spot for breaking into laughter.

Weiss cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Father, this is my girlfriend, Yang Xiao Long."

Yang started slightly at the subtle elbow the other girl sent into her side. "Er, yes, sir. It's 'stache… I mean, so nice to meet you. Sir."

Weiss sent her an appalled look that clearly said _Are you fucking kidding me right now?_

Yang returned with a slightly apologetic shrug. _Hey, you're the one who didn't warn me he would look like a skinny walrus in a white suit._

"Yes, well…" The senior Schnee moved past the couple towards his desk. "Weiss, would you give us a moment, please?"

"Of course, father," she replied deferentially. She gave Yang another look, this one fearful, but Yang reached over to wrap her up in a brief comforting hug while her father's back was turned.

"It'll be fine," she said softly. "Trust me."

"I trust you," Weiss murmured back. "I don't trust him."

With that Weiss turned and strode out of the room, giving Yang one last regretful look before closing the door.

Yang took a deep breath and walked over to where Mr. Schnee now sat behind his monstrosity of a desk, writing something out on it.

"I won't beat around the bush, young lady," he stated levelly without looking up. "My time is valuable. I suppose it was inevitable that Weiss would attract someone who would be after her money, and you certainly fit the profile. I'm a bit disappointed she hasn't seen through your charade yet, but I'll speak with her on this matter later." He finished writing, ripped a small piece of paper off and slid it in Yang's direction.

The blonde glanced down at what she now recognized to be a check. One written out with more zeros on it than she'd ever seen in her lifetime. Certainly, a great enough sum to set her up for life.

"Are you trying to buy me off… sir?" She bit the last word off somewhat insolently, working very hard at keeping her temper in check.

This wasn't going at all how she expected.

"Don't be an idiot, of course I am. Take the check, leave my house, and never approach my daughter again. I'll see to it you are transferred to another team, as I don't believe I can change her mind yet about that ridiculous school."

Yang nodded slowly and picked the check up. Staring directly at the white-haired man, she let her eyes flare red as she sent a burst of her aura down her hand and through her semblance. She certainly had enough suppressed fury to spare at the moment.

Her fingers wiggled as the ash from the incinerated check floated away.

"Anything else you wished to discuss with me?" she ground out, her tone not matching the civility of her words in the slightest.

The man rose to his feet, giving the girl what he obviously meant to be an intimidating glare. "I am not a man you tell 'no' to."

"Whelp, that's too bad, 'cause I just did." Yang leaned over the desk, her fists clenched upon the surface. "Just so we're clear. I love Weiss. I'm not leaving her alone." Tendrils of smoke wafted up from where her fists rested on the desk. "I'm. Not. Leaving."

The man standing across from her ignored the smoke and the potential danger of the young woman who seemed to be on the verge of combusting. "I see."

He turned then and strode over to one of the windows, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed out across his expansive lawn that seemed to cover the area of a small town.

"Yang, was it?"

"That's right." The blonde stood up straight and crossed her arms, tamping down on her semblance and temper as much as she could. _Losing it now won't do anyone any good…_

"I have worked long and hard to groom Weiss as an heiress," the elder Schnee began with an almost musing tone. "I decided to indulge this… little fantasy of hers, to attend Beacon instead of a proper preparatory school here in Atlas. I figured the discipline would be good for her, one way or another."

He glanced aside at Yang briefly, his eyes dark and foreboding. "But make no mistake, she is heiress to this company, to my fortune. Someone like you, of such low social standing and dubious potential, does not fit into her role. If you are not in this for the money, then what is it you're looking for? Power? Influence?"

"Is it really that difficult for you to understand that we love each other?" Yang asked as levelly as possible. "And that's the extent of it? I don't want anything from your fortune, your company. I don't care about the money. The only thing I care about is Weiss and making her happy."

He let out a snort of derision. "Naive," he muttered. With a resigned sigh, he turned to her once more. "Very well, I suppose there's nothing immediate I can do about the situation without causing Weiss undue stress. Her potential is far too great for that. However…"

Weiss' father took a step forward, and Yang was struck by the sheer _presence_ of the man, more so than before. Even the ridiculousness of his mustache paled in comparison to the intimidation that he now exuded.

"If I hear of even a hint of conflict, or that her grades or performance have suffered because of your… _liaison…_ " He smirked darkly. "Well, I don't make idle threats. Just be prepared to face the consequences."

"Yeah," Yang murmured with a brief nod before gazing at the floor. "Got it."

"Very well. You are dismissed until dinnertime."

The blonde let out a snort at the cavalier discharge as if she were some underling or servant of his.

"Right. Good talk, Papa Schnee. Catch you later."

Yang spun on her heel, able to catch the slightly shocked look on the man's face at her blatant disrespect before she strode out of the room.

She didn't tear the door off the hinges, but it was a near thing.

Weiss was there in a flash, walking alongside with a worried frown.

"What happened?" the white-haired girl asked quietly.

"Oh, you know, the usual," Yang laughed bitterly. "Tried to pay me off to stop seeing you. Then belittled my worth, and finished up with a thinly-veiled threat. Looks like he's gonna blame me if your grades dip any."

Weiss took her by the arm and steered her furious path outside. They walked together in silence, Weiss maintaining her grip. Before long they ended up in a garden the size of a football field.

"Does he ever do anything halfway?" the blonde asked with a rueful shake of her head.

"Not usually, no." Weiss pulled her over towards a bench where they sat, now with their arms around each other. "Truthfully, I expected worse from him."

"Really?'

"Well, he didn't get overly violent."

"Violence I can handle. Um… I might have given his desk a few new scorch marks…"

"Oh, Yang," the smaller girl sighed fondly. She rested her head alongside the blonde's shoulder. "It'd be easier on you to just walk away, you know," Weiss continued softly.

"Ain't happening. Ever." Yang placed a quick kiss on the crown of her head. "You're not gettin' rid of me that easy."

"Hmm." Weiss glanced up at her, pale blue eyes warm and inviting. "Well, I suppose that's just as well since I can't seem to let go of you either."

"Yep, we're pretty much stuck with each other."

"I suppose so. Might as well make the best of it."

"Yup."

"Anything else I should know about?"

"Um…" Yang rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. "I might've… called him… Papa Schnee."

Weiss let out a surprised snort, which quickly dissolved into the giggles that she so adored. "Oh, Yang…"

They rested like that for some time, just enjoying the peace and quiet before the dinner that they were both now looking forward to as much as clearing out a nest of Deathstalkers.

_Actually, at least I'd have fun fighting Grimm._

Her spirits were dampened somewhat as she reflected upon her performance that day. She believed she had a decent chance of reconciling with Winter, at the very least having one family member on her and Weiss' side regarding their relationship. As for the other…

_Yeah, no way is he ever gonna relent. Well, fuck 'im. I'm happy, and I know I make Weiss happy._

_Somehow._

She was still unsure of how such an amazing, beautiful, and elegant woman such as Weiss had managed to fall for her. She really didn't have that much going for her, in her opinion, outside of her looks, fighting ability, and big heart. But, for some reason that had been enough.

_I look around at all this, though, and I gotta wonder… Will she ever get tired of me? Is this the real Weiss Schnee, this mansion, this life?_

As if in response to her thoughts, Weiss suddenly leaned over to plant a warm kiss on her cheek.

"Yang?"

"Hmm?" the blonde replied distractedly. She looked over to see a small but wicked smirk on her girlfriend, pale blue eyes twinkling merrily.

"Why the… _Long_ face?"

Yang gaped at the platinum-haired girl incredulously. "Did you… just…" She grinned widely, then, and pulled the petite girl into a crushing hug. " _Gods_ , I love you."

_Or maybe she's in this for the long haul just as much as I am..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, finally the (extra-long) Freezerburn chapter! Also note, this is the only chapter that contains none of the Purruby girls! And will likely be the only one of that kind within this story.
> 
> So, next week's chapter will take everyone back to Beacon. The first night back will be… eventful. Let's just leave it at that for now as a teaser.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	60. Chapter 60

"Alright Teeeaaam RWBY!" the diminutive brunette exclaimed, standing atop one of the twin beds in their dorm. "Are we ready for our first order of business?"

"Unpacking?" Weiss asked, dropping one of her bags next to the window.

"Decorating?" Blake interjected hopefully.

"Sexy times?" Yang snickered, wagging her eyebrows and earning a smack on her arm by both her partner and her girlfriend.

"No, no, and really, Yang?" Ruby retorted. "Nope, our first order of business is… our beds!"

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense," the Cat Faunus murmured. "Better to fix them right off the bat instead of what we did last year."

"So, bunks again?" Weiss prompted.

"Nope!" The scythe-wielder hopped off of the bed and, muscles bunching, slammed two of them together and pushed them against the wall. "Ta-daa!"

The other three girls from her team blinked their eyes before growing identical smiles.

"So… two king-sized beds?" the platinum-haired heiress pondered with a grin. "I like the sound of that."

"It was very nice while at Patch," Blake agreed.

"And gives us more room for sexytimes!" the blonde bruiser cheered, earning her a trio of smacks this time.

"Did you two not have any time together in Atlas?" Ruby demanded.

Weiss blushed brightly and stared down at her feet. "Er, perhaps a few times…"

"We were a little rushed, though," Yang conceded.

"I mean, it's a very large mansion…"

"Lots of closets…"

"But also quite a few servants."

Yang grinned reminiscently. "Of course, there was the one time in your dad's bed…"

Her girlfriend delivered a rather pointed punch this time to the blonde's shoulder. "We agreed never to discuss that again," she growled irritably.

"Wait, what?" Ruby giggled. "In your _dad's_ bed?"

"He was being more… difficult towards the end of our stay," Weiss huffed, her arms crossed in embarrassment while staring out the window.

"Mmm," Blake hummed. "So, a revenge fuck, of sorts?"

"Yeah, exactly!" Yang snickered.

Ruby sighed, unable to keep the grin off of her face. "You two… Okay, so we're agreed, two large beds for our dorm?"

"Banzai!" Blake cheered with an upraised fist, quickly joined by both Yang and, surprisingly, Weiss.

"What?" the heiress protested at Ruby's incredulous look. "I can't be excited for a bigger bed?"

"Alright, so we'll need to buy sheets and blankets," Ruby mused after giving her partner one last look of amusement. "Let's get the rest of the room unpacked, and then we can grab Pyrrha and head into town really quick. Sound good?"

"I like they way you think, sis," Yang grinned, giving the brunette a quick, rib-cracking hug.

"Thanks," Ruby wheezed, clutching her side.

"Our fluffy fox will be very pleased," Blake murmured to her girlfriend as they unpacked things on what was now to be their side of the room on the right.

"No doubt," the brunette smiled in reply.

* * *

Pyrrha, Ruby, and Blake had returned to their dorm after eating dinner with the others in Vale. They had all of their purchases with them, as Yang had declared her intent to "show her girlfriend a good time" out on the town that night before classes started the following day after.

"Do you suppose they'll go out drinking?" Pyrrha asked in amusement as she tucked the red fitted sheet down on her corner.

"I have little doubt," Blake sighed, smoothing out the bottom sheet before flinging the matching top one across the bed. "Yang's definition of a good time has a direct correlation to how much alcohol she can imbibe."

"I dunno, that's the old Yang," Ruby murmured, slipping a red case over the second pillow, fluffing it, and setting it beside the first. "And besides which, I can't imagine Weiss going out drinking all night."

"Well, tomorrow is Sunday," the redhead murmured while unfolding the white-and-black striped blanket. "As classes do not resume until Monday, they would have a day to recover."

"Yeah, I suppose." Ruby stood back with her girlfriends, hands on hips and regarding their new bed. "So, what do you guys think?"

"I think," Blake murmured with a twinkle in her amber eyes. "That we need to break in our new bed."

Pyrrha and Ruby each giggled lightly before turning towards the Cat Faunus. "First one to suggest it gets to be in the middle," the brunette opined warmly.

"Mmm." Blake gave them a small, sultry smile as she pulled her shirt off. "You will not hear me complain…"

* * *

 

Ruby woke up groggily to the insistent poking of her cheek.

"Wha…?" she asked blearily.

"Heya Rubes," her big sister slurred. "Um, little problem. C'n ya help us out?"

The brunette groaned softly, cognizant of the need to not wake her slumbering girlfriends. Blake's arm tightened subconsciously around her as she shifted to gaze across the room. Yang was perched on the edge of her bed, in her pajamas but with her hair disheveled, while Weiss stood in the middle of the room, swaying slightly and her eyes unfocused. She seemed to be wearing her nightgown backward.

"What happened?" Ruby murmured. She gave a suspicious sniff to see just how much her sister had been drinking, but her eyes widened upon another smell. "...Is something burning?"

"No, no, not right now anyways," Yang replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "Ya see… um… well, we had a lil' too much to drink, and Weissy kinda accidentally froze our bed while we were tryin' to make it when she sneezed, and I went to thaw it out an' kinda charred it, sooo…" She looked down at Ruby, lilac eyes earnest and hopeful in the dim light. "Um, can we sleep in your bed?"

The brunette team leader sighed softly, not bothering to shake her head in resignation so as not to disturb the Cat Faunus currently snuggled in tight against her back. "Yeah, come on. It's a freaking huge bed now. Just… tell Weiss to put her pajamas on straight."

"Okay, thanks, sis!" the blonde cheered quietly.

Ruby just nodded and yawned, quickly dropping back into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Blake cracked her eyes open slowly, immediately curious as to why she actually woke before the alarm, especially on their last day off prior to classes starting. The early morning light was just beginning to dispel the shroud of darkness in the dorm room.

_Mmm. Might have something to do with a little rose curled up on my chest… She's not usually this snuggly in the morning..._

The Cat Faunus' soft smile slowly turned into a frown as she realized that the weight across her torso was far too light to be her muscular brunette girlfriend.

Her gaze slowly traveled downward to spy a messy mane of white hair spilling across her chest.

…

_...What…?_

Blinking her eyes rapidly in case they were playing tricks on her, she ascertained that, yes, there was a certain heiress currently draped across her and under the covers. She could see an arm wrapped around the smaller girl's shoulders from her left, and she followed it over to where her redheaded lover lay. Pyrrha was sound asleep as well, mouth parted slightly.

Blake got distracted for a moment or two by the sight of those luscious lips that she so enjoyed kissing before she gave her Faunus ears a flick. She turned slowly the other way to spy Ruby curled up into her side, hands under her cheek as she slumbered on. Behind her, though, was a curly mess of blonde hair that hid her partner's face. Yang's arm was across Ruby's waist and resting on the small of Weiss' back.

The raven-haired girl shifted her head once more to stare up at the ceiling, unsure what to even do in this situation. Her left arm was trapped under Pyrrha, and her right was currently clenched within Ruby's grasp, so it wasn't like she could move any.

_Well, this is… different._

After some amount of befuddled pondering, Blake simply gave a mental shrug and closed her eyes once more, deciding to just sleep on the matter.

* * *

Blake was next awoken by the stirrings of her bbedmates Ruby let out a soft groan as she tried to stretch out, narrowly missing her sister's chin.

" _Yaaannng_ , gimme some room here," she grumbled mildly.

"Yeah, okay Rubes," Yang grunted, rolling over on her back and yawning widely.

The Cat Faunus could tell the moment Weiss was fully awake by the quick inhale of breath, followed by her bolting upright. The platinum-haired girl brought a pale hand up to her forehead with a pained moan at the sudden action.

"Ow," she whimpered.

By that point all of the other girls were awake, gazing at the flustered heiress with varying expressions ranging from amusement to concern.

"Are you alright, Weiss?" Pyrrha asked softly.

"I don't… How did…?" The platinum-haired girl shook her head slowly, attempting to dispel her confusion as she perched next to Blake's leg. "Um… Nothing… happened, did it? Last night?"

Blake had opened her mouth to offer reassurances, but she was beaten to it by her petite brunette girlfriend.

"Well, I wouldn't call it _nothing_. You were pretty spectacular."

The raven-haired girl blinked her eyes uncertainly. _She_ didn't drink anything, did she? Otherwise she would have _certainly_ remembered something of that sort happening.

Yang spoke up next with a lazy grin. "And loud."

Blake's incredulous expression must have been fairly close to Weiss' save perhaps for the unmitigated horror that was creeping into her pale blue eyes.

She turned to face Pyrrha as the redhead spoke up next. "It was quite nice, though."

As she gazed into the redhead's eyes, the sparkle of humor there was unmistakable.

Blake sighed softly and gave an internal shrug once more. _I'm going to be caught in the crossfire anyway, I may as well deserve it at this point._

She allowed a small smirk to grace her features as she faced forward once again.

"I never knew you had such stamina, Weiss."

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch enjoyed her mornings immensely, that moment when nothing urgent was vying for her attention. Especially now, just before classes were to begin. All the preparations had been made, the incoming class of first-years had already finished with their initiation, and everyone was settled into their dorm rooms, likely still slumbering during their final day of freedom before the new semester began.

She sipped at her coffee while slowly perusing her emails. Some requests for special needs, most of which would be denied unless her definition of _special_ actually matched up with the student's intent.

And then she opened up a missive from the leader of a second-year team which had been rather prominent their first year. The blonde professor had high hopes for them this coming year, even given their past… proclivities.

She frowned, though, as she read over the email. "Team RWBY needs to replace all four of their mattresses _already_?"

Glynda shook her head slowly, her good mood soured considerably. She suddenly had the feeling that this was going to turn out to be one of _those_ semesters...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Monday, and welcome back to Beacon! Just to head something off right away, though: No this isn't going to turn into Greek Pollination. The logistics of that alone would give me a headache.
> 
> I had to try and describe some things in A Thorny Bind carefully. For starters, not describing where Yang and Weiss were sleeping in the earlier chapters, before Freezerburn was a thing (because they already would have been by the events of most chapters). Also, I tried to not be overly descriptive of the beds, except for a couple chapters in the beginning when I refer to it as "Blake's bunk", but that was before I decided on the current bed layout for their second year. Not feeling the need right now to go and fix anything.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	61. Chapter 61

"Okay! Now let's try and keep this set of sheets intact for a while longer, yeah? They're not exactly cheap!"

Pyrrha grinned at her diminutive brunette girlfriend's words as she let herself into the dorm room of Team RWBY. The door had been left open for her so that she might join the others, as was her nightly ritual now.

"I said I was sorry," Weiss huffed from where she sat in the middle of the other king-sized bed on the left side of the room. " _And_ I paid for the replacements."

"And we are very grateful for that," Pyrrha interjected smoothly, tucking her legs under her as she sat on the edge of Ruby and Blake's bed. _Mine as well, I suppose…_

"Fluffy fox!" With that enthusiastic greeting, the redhead was sent backward onto the bed, a small but muscular form atop her with her arms wrapped around her middle. Ruby blew her red-tipped bangs out of her face and gave Pyrrha a wide grin. "Hi!"

"Hello, little rose," Pyrrha smiled gently, leaning up slightly to kiss the tip of her nose. "I'm happy to see you, too."

"Is this a private party, or may I join as well?" a rich alto voice asked quietly.

Pyrrha craned her neck around the bubbly brunette to spy Blake walking out of the bathroom, already clad in her pajamas much as the leggy redhead was.

"You know we're incomplete without you, kitty cat," she replied warmly.

"Yep!" Ruby cheered, rolling to the side but still keeping an arm around the prone redhead. "Can't go long without snuggles from our Blakey!"

"Oh my Oum, you three," Weiss groaned. "Can you possibly _be_ any sappier?"

"Is that a challenge?" Blake asked with a smirk.

"No!" The heiress was quick to backpedal. "Absolutely not, I retract my earlier statement!"

Just then a snickering blonde made her entrance, dropping her workout bag by the door. "Causing trouble already, babe?"

"I am _not_ causing trouble," Weiss retorted, smoothing her hair down unconsciously as Yang walked towards the bathroom. Pyrrha smiled widely as she saw how the pair were unable to keep their eyes off of each other. When the blonde leaned over for a kiss, however, Weiss was quick to interpose a hand between the two of them.

"You know the rules," she stated levelly, her pert nose wrinkling. "Shower before you touch me."

"Yes, princess," Yang replied with a grin. She stood upright and gave the other three a wink. "Ladies, you might want to turn your backs while I get… undressed… for my shower…"

"Oh, gross," Ruby complained, flipping over onto her stomach and facing the wall. "Really, Yang?"

Pyrrha turned with her and felt the bed shift as Blake plopped gracefully in the same position on the other side of Ruby.

"Ten lien says Weiss is getting a nosebleed right about now," the Cat Faunus murmured in amusement.

"No bet," Pyrrha snorted.

She did note that the heiress was making some rather interesting sounds that seemed to change in volume with each article of clothing they heard hit the floor.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Ruby moaned, her head cradled in her crossed arms.

"Oh, little rose," Blake spoke up. "Did you tell Pyrrha the news?"

"No, I didn't!" Ruby perked up instantly, her silver eyes shining with excitement. "So, when I went down to the maintenance guys this morning to sign for the new mattresses, I got to talking with one of them, really nice guy by the name of Edwin, and he was making some changes to some access codes for scrolls that weren't in his list before school started, and I said, 'Hey, watcha doin' there?' and he told me-"

"Sweetie," Blake sighed affectionately.

"Oh, right." Ruby grinned, ducking her head sheepishly. "Anyways, so the short of it is, I got your scroll added to our door."

"My… scroll?" Pyrrha blinked her eyes uncertainly. "You mean… I can just… enter the room whenever I like?"

Both Ruby and Blake nodded, their eyes sparkling. She was momentarily blinded by the tears in her eyes, taking her by surprise.

"That is… That's so very grand," the redhead murmured, wiping her cheek with the back of her hand. "Er… Are the others alright with this as well?" She raised her voice slightly at that, unwilling to turn around just yet. _How long, precisely, does it take one to strip-tease?_

"Yep, we're both good!" Yang replied cheerfully. "Anytime you wanna pop in, Pyr, you're welcome to. It's as much your room as ours by this point, right babe?"

There was a moment's silence before Weiss spoke up, her voice breathless and a bit dazed-sounding.

"Yes… that's quite correct…"

Yang barked out a loud laugh. "Okay, I'm gonna stop teasing my girlfriend now and grab a shower…"

"And I will be helping her!" Weiss broke in hurriedly, from the sounds of it scrambling off of the bed to join Yang in the bathroom. "With the shower, that is!"

The three prone girls giggled as they heard the bathroom door slam and the water start up.

"I wonder how long they might take?" Pyrrha murmured.

Ruby sat upright, running her hands along the spines of both girls on either side of her. "Ohhh I imagine we have some time to ourselves…" She let each hand linger southward of their waistlines. "Wanna help me change into my pj's?"

"Is that really a question?" Blake purred, her amber eyes shining eagerly.

* * *

By the time Yang was out of the shower and dressed in her pajamas, and Weiss apparently re-dressed hurriedly if the wrinkled state of her nightshirt was any indicator, Ruby was standing by her dresser and pulling on her own night clothes.

As the blonde made to get into bed before her girlfriend, she eyed her sister consideringly. "Hey, Rubes, doesn't look like those fit you too well anymore…"

"Yeah, I think they shrank in the wash," Ruby sighed glumly. "Gonna hafta buy new ones, I suppose…"

"Mmm." Blake sat up from where she was sprawled comfortably across Pyrrha's lap, the redhead having been rubbing in between her Faunus ears. "Ruby, can you go stand next to Weiss please?"

"Um, okay, sure…" The brunette sauntered over towards where Weiss was patiently waiting for Yang to situate herself. The heiress turned to regard her partner…

And found herself looking up by a considerable margin.

Her pale blue eyes narrowed.

"Ah-heheh," Ruby chuckled nervously. "Sooo I guess I grew a little bit over the summer?"

"Couple of inches, looks like," Yang agreed merrily.

"I didn't want to say anything before, in case I was just imagining things," Pyrrha spoke up, blushing slightly. "But I do believe you have grown in… other areas as well."

"Really? Like where?" Ruby glanced down, as did Weiss. "Oh."

The platinum-haired girl's eyes narrowed further, and she began to growl quietly in the back of her throat.

"Perhaps you should back away, little rose," Blake murmured with a smile. "Slowly."

"Uh-huh." Ruby took a few small steps backwards before flinging herself onto their bed, scrambling behind her girlfriends for protection. "Hide me," she whimpered.

Weiss' glare hadn't left the brunette, piercing even through the wall of raven-haired and redhead, but her growling finally cut off when a strong pair of arms encircled her from behind.

"You know you're perfect for me, just the way you are, right, princess?" Yang spoke up soothingly, leaving a trail of kisses along the heiress' shoulder from where she knelt behind.

The platinum-haired girl seemed to melt slightly from both the words and attention. "You are so sweet," she murmured in reply. She then acquiesced to the gentle pulls to bring her into bed with her blonde girlfriend, giving one last glare towards the other bed.

"I am still quite unhappy with you, Ruby Rose."

"Sorry!" the brunette squeaked in reply.

Blake rose from the bed to switch the lights off. When she returned, however, she took the outside position while Ruby was in the middle.

The brunette smiled softly at the Cat Faunus as they lay on their sides, facing each other, with Pyrrha now curled up against the scythe-wielder's back with an arm resting across her hips.

"Got something on your mind, kitty cat?"

"Just wanted to check something," she murmured quietly in reply, her hands drifting down towards Ruby's waist. With a small smirk, she gently slipped one underneath.

"What are you… checking…?" Ruby's eyes fluttered shut as she tried to stifle a pleased moan.

"Mmm. You're right, fluffy fox. I think she's the same size as I am now." Blake was grinning widely in the dim light at Pyrrha, who was now perched with her chin on Ruby's shoulder. "Do your bras not fit well?"

"Um… Yeah, I mean, no…" Ruby was struggling for coherence with the attention Blake was giving her. "They fit… kinda weird… now…"

"Well, try one of mine tomorrow," the raven-haired girl said quietly. "Until we can take you shopping."

"Yeah… um… okay…"

"Are you going to keep that up much longer, kitty cat?" Pyrrha asked humorously.

"Mmm… no, I think I'm done now." Blake gave the both of them another smirk as she withdrew her hand and turned over to snuggle her back up against Ruby. "Goodnight, my loves."

"Goodnight, love," Pyrrha murmured, settling down again. She pulled the brunette in tighter against her, this time slipping her arm around her waist. "And goodnight, little rose."

"Unh," Ruby grunted in response. "Blake?"

"Mmm?"

"You are _such_ a fucking tease."

"Too true," she sang back softly. "Too true."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Ruby. First, she gets lambasted by her partner for growing even taller and bustier, and then she's left with… Well, what's the female equivalent of 'blue balls'?
> 
> In other news: Fluff, fluff, and more fluff. Yay!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	62. Chapter 62

Blake sat on the bench outside while casually sipping on her juice box. Her amber eyes followed the events unfolding in front of her with interest, though merely observing her one would think she was watching a sports game.

Not four Huntresses-in-training violently tearing up the school grounds.

"Blake!"

The Cat Faunus calmly turned to regard a certain platinum-haired heiress who was storming towards her, pale blue eyes flashing dangerously.

"What the actual _hell_ is going on here!" Weiss shouted, flinging her arms about. "What is… all _this_?"

Blake took another sip from her juice box, returning her gaze forward, before answering quietly. "Nora challenged Yang to a duel."

"A… A duel?"

"Well, sparring, more like."

"But…"

"And it got a little bit out of hand, you know how the two of them can be."

"Oh yes, I know all too well," Weiss growled, her arms crossed and foot tapping. "But how did the others get involved?"

"Well, Ruby and Pyrrha attempted to break it up, but instead got sucked into it. I think they started having too much fun."

"Too… much… fun?"

"Mmm."

"Blake… they _demolished_ the fountain! And that tower looks to be dangerously close to collapsing!"

Blake nodded amicably, her eyes never leaving the scene in front of her. "So it would seem."

"But… Aren't you going to _do_ anything?" Weiss asked frantically.

"Nope."

"...No?!"

"Weiss… come sit."

The heiress stood there, sputtering incoherently, before Blake grabbed her by the arm and gently pulled her onto the bench next to her.

"Just watch."

The two of them observed the melee in progress. No punches were pulled, and from what they could tell the sides had shifted so that now it was Ruby and Pyrrha against Nora and Yang. The hammer-wielder managed to get a good strike in, sending the petite brunette sailing across the yard and into an already-crumbling wall. She eagerly bounced right back up to return to the fray.

"Shouldn't we be intervening?" Weiss persisted quietly after a few more minutes, though her own pale blue eyes were affixed on Yang as the blonde brawler engaged Pyrrha, hair flying out wildly and a wide grin on her face.

"No need." Blake inclined her head towards a visibly seething Glynda Goodwitch as she strode across the grounds, riding crop clutched determinedly in her hand.

Weiss winced at the volume of the verbal lashing now descending upon the heads of the former combatants. "And now they're in trouble."

"They were in trouble the moment they began breaking things," Blake smiled slightly. "At least this way they had their fun."

"Really?" Weiss shook her head, grumbling. "I just… I can't believe you let that go on so long."

"Are you kidding me?" Blake smirked. "Tell me watching that wasn't the sexiest thing ever."

Weiss blushed, thinking upon how absolutely _glorious_ it was to see her girlfriend in all her magnificence as she fought. "Well, y- yes, I suppose," she stammered. "But-"

"No buts," Blake insisted. "Sexiest. Thing. Ever."

"Fine, yes," Weiss huffed.

The raven-haired girl's smirk increased. "Dibs on the room."

Weiss turned towards her teammate, gaping incredulously. "Of all the underhanded…"

Giggling, Blake finally rose to her feet as the four girls trudged towards them sheepishly. Pyrrha, in particular, looked more abashed than ever before at the scolding she'd received.

Wordlessly, the Cat Faunus stepped forward, grabbed Ruby and Pyrrha by their hands, and dragged them off towards the dorm.

Weiss could only stare after them, speechless. She didn't even notice Nora's departure, shaken out of her reverie by Yang's gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Um, so what was all that about?" Yang asked, her free hand rubbing the back of her neck and with a half-grin on her face.

The heiress whirled on her girlfriend with a glint in her eyes. "You, me, storage closet. Now. No arguments."

Yang barked out a merry laugh as Weiss grabbed her by the hand and marched off with her towards the classrooms.

"No arguments from me, princess!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely better than watching sports. I have fun writing Weiss and Blake's interactions, they oftentimes seem like the only sane ones on their team.
> 
> So, from the reviews, I'm gonna go with Blue Bean as the female version of Blue Balls. (I like that better than Blue Clit, honestly.) Thanks for the education. The more you learn… Purruby Rainbow!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	63. Chapter 63

"I don't trust him," Ruby muttered into her glass of milk.

Pyrrha sighed softly and reached across to run her hand along her brunette girlfriend's back. She followed her gaze over to where their other girlfriend sat across the lunchtable from an old friend of theirs, Sun Wukong.

"You know they're just friends," the redhead murmured. _I'm unused to seeing this sort of jealousy from her..._

"I know that!" Ruby replied with quiet heat, stabbing her casserole furiously. She let out a breath as the utensil dropped to her plate, giving Pyrrha an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry, I'm not… It's me I'm mad at for even thinking like this. I don't wanna be this way."

"You trust Blake, do you not?"

"Of course I do! I just… I don't trust _him_! I know… Okay, I'm pretty sure he had a thing for Blakey last year, and I know they're just friends now… But what if he still has feelings for her? What if he's trying to worm his way into her heart?"

Pyrrha smiled softly, leaning over to place a gentle kiss on the brunette's forehead. "And if he were to do so, she would turn him down in no time at all."

"I know," Ruby stated hesitantly. "I do know that. I just…" She flung her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know what's wrong with me! They've been cozy all day, chatting away, and…"

"Little rose, are you jealous?" the redhead asked incredulously.

"I dunno?" Ruby's face was flushed brightly. "Maybe?"

The diminutive brunette jumped slightly when a pair of arms encircled her shoulders from behind.

"What's wrong, love?" Blake murmured from where her chin rested on Ruby's shoulder. "I could sense your ire all the way over there."

"It's… nothing, really. I'm just being stupid."

The Cat Faunus smiled as she sat on the other side of Ruby, giving Pyrrha's shoulder a quick squeeze before moving around. "It's not nothing if it's bothering you."

Ruby let out a wordless, frustrated growl before turning to Pyrrha with pleading eyes.

The redhead nodded marginally as she leaned across to speak with their girlfriend. "Ruby is feeling a bit… insecure, perhaps. Over Sun's intentions towards you."

"Really?" Blake leaned forward further, her amber eyes trying to peer under the hood that Ruby had now pulled over her head in embarrassment. "Little rose… you know you don't have to worry about anything with me."

"I know that," Ruby mumbled from the depths of her red hood. "And I don't wanna be this way, but if I didn't talk about it I'd just go outta my mind."

"Oh, sweetie, please don't feel bad for bringing it up," Blake assured her, wrapping her arms around the shorter girl. "I'd rather you always talk about your feelings, That's what makes the three of us so strong, right? How well we communicate?"

"Indeed," Pyrrha smiled, joining Blake's hug with her own and resting her hands on the Faunus' shoulders. "We can always talk to each other."

Ruby nodded against their chests but didn't say anything else, just let out a rather morose huff of air.

The Cat Faunus, still smiling softly, gently stroked the back of Ruby's head through her cloak. "You should know you have nothing to worry about," she murmured earnestly. "You and Pyrrha are the only ones my heart will ever have room for."

"I did try to tell her," Pyrrha mentioned lightly. "Sometimes, though, a person simply needs reassurance from the source."

"Mmm. Perhaps this will help as well." Blake leaned back and motioned Sun over from where he still sat at the other table.

"Blakey, no, I don't… _Argh_ , this is so embarrassing…" Ruby tried to burrow further into her cloak's hood but Blake persisted, pulling it back enough so that she could see inside.

"Trust me," Blake whispered.

"I do," Ruby whispered back. "With my life and my heart."

The Cat Faunus' grin widened as she let out a pleased little giggle. "You are so sweet… Oh, Sun. Do me a favor, please?"

"Sure, what's up?" The bare-chested boy gave both Pyrrha and Ruby a friendly nod, though he peered curiously at the latter's attempts to hide away.

"Please reassure Ruby you hold no designs over me."

"What? No, no way!" The Monkey Faunus let out a short laugh, his hands upraised. "Look, me an' Blake, we're just good friends, honest!"

Ruby sighed as she pulled the hood back, her silver eyes downcast. "Yeah, I know that… At least I should, anyways…"

"Okay, look…" Sun leaned forward from where he perched opposite the three girls. "For starters, I was just asking Blake for advice on… someone else. But, more importantly…" He flashed the three of them his trademark toothy grin. "Everyone in this school, even those who aren't Faunus, know the three of you are _way_ tight. Honestly, I thought the three of you were already Mated, but I know damn well just by scent alone that you girls belong to each other. No way would I mess with that."

"Yeah?" the brunette asked, a smile forming on her lips.

"Definitely."

"Okay then… Sorry I was being such an idiot…"

"Hey, no worries Red, I get it." Sun grinned one more time as he rose. "With girlfriends as hot as yours, I'd be wary of lettin' them out of my sight too!"

"Oh, shoo," Blake snarked, tossing a grape from Ruby's plate at the unrepentant Faunus boy. Sun just batted the projectile away as he walked off, laughing and waving to them over his shoulder.

Ruby sighed and lay her head on the raven-haired girl's shoulder. "Sorry."

"I told you, you don't need to worry about it," Blake replied softly, placing a kiss on the crown of her head. "I rather you talk to me about these sorts of things than let them fester. Believe me, I know all too well about that, I used to do it all the time."

"I do recall you being much… moodier before we started dating," Pyrrha interjected fondly. "Also far less talkative."

"I still don't like to talk much," Blake replied with a small grin. "Excepting for the two of you, of course."

"Speaking of talking… I got two questions."

The Cat Faunus nodded and let Ruby up to speak. "Go ahead, little rose."

"Um… so out of curiosity, who was Sun talking to you about?"

Pyrrha giggled at the rather naughty smirk that crossed their girlfriend's face. "Alright, but you cannot tell anyone else, deal?" Blake continued upon receiving solemn nods from the others, leaning forward and lowering her voice to a whisper even though there wasn't really anyone close to the girls in the dining hall. "Neptune."

"What?" the brunette squawked. "So he's gonna ask him out?"

"That was the intention."

"Huh." Ruby leaned back against Pyrrha who wrapped her arms around her middle, resting her head atop the red-tipped ruffled mop.

"And what was the other?" Blake prompted, running her fingers along Ruby's forearm.

"Well… We've kinda talked about, y'know… Mating. But we haven't really talked about it in any detail."

"Mmm." The Cat Faunus furrowed her brow in thought as she idly played with the hem of Ruby's uniform. "I have been meaning to speak with the two of you for some time now… Not here, though. May we take a walk?"

"Need you really ask, kitty cat?" Pyrrha grinned as she helped Ruby to her feet. "We'd go anywhere with you."

* * *

Blake walked in between the three of them, arms wrapped around each other's waist. Due to the height difference, it would normally have been awkward to try and walk together like that, but the girls had long adjusted to each other in such a fashion. Pyrrha automatically shortened her gait slightly to match Blake's, as did Ruby by lengthening hers. Still, their pace was slow and meandering as they made their silent way down the paths of Beacon and towards the cliffs that overlooked the water surrounding the city of Vale.

The three enjoined girls ended up on a bench in between the landing pad and the Forever Fall forest. Each of them took a grateful inhale of the cooler air, a promise of Fall right around the corner.

"So," the Cat Faunus began quietly, holding the hands of her girlfriends on either side of her. Pyrrha had turned slightly so that she might give the raven-haired girl her full attention, though Ruby simply rested her head on Blake's shoulder, eyes gazing sightlessly out across the water. The diminutive girl was obviously paying very close attention to what Blake was about to reveal, however.

"I've mentioned some about Mating. It's the ultimate expression of a bond between two Faunus, deeper and more meaningful than even marriage. The actual, physical bond is created through what's called a Mate's Mark." Blake shifted slightly as she blinked her amber eyes. "I'll get to that perhaps at a later point. Right now, though…"

Ruby turned her head and pressed a quick kiss to Blake's shoulder in reassurance. "No rush, Blakey. Just what you're comfortable with."

"Yes, please don't pressure yourself," Pyrrha agreed, giving Blake's hand a squeeze.

"No, really, it's fine." The raven-haired girl smiled gently. "I've wanted to tell you both about this. I'm very certain that… that the both of you are my Mates. But it's important for you to understand what goes into it." Her smile turned into a quick frown. "And the potential ramifications."

Blake let out a quiet sigh as she continued. "I've actually done a fair amount of research on this to supplement what little I knew from growing up within the Faunus culture. The problem is that cases where a Faunus would actually Mate with a human are exceedingly rare." She chuckled lightly. "As for three of us at once? Unheard of."

"Well, we _are_ pretty special," Ruby snarked.

"Mmm." The raven-haired girl chuckled once more before sobering. "Everything says that for a Faunus to pursue a human Mate is… risky, at best. It's a matter of physiology, you see. We Faunus have an instinctual urge to Mate, whereas humans lack this. And as such, from past anecdotal evidence, humans lack the ability to make a Mate's Mark of their own, so the bond we would create would be essentially one-way."

"So whatever this, um, Mark is, we couldn't, like, feel it?" Ruby questioned.

"Perhaps, and perhaps not." Blake sighed. "It's unclear. There have been some instances of interspecies Mates who were able to use the bond both ways, even though it only originated from the Faunus. It's… a bit more complicated than that."

Pyrrha waited patiently as Blake seemed to gather her thoughts. "A human can receive a Mark with only the minimum amount of attraction towards the Faunus, while a Mark between Faunus requires an inordinate amount of trust and love."

"I think I understand what you're getting at," the redhead murmured. "So it's pretty risky for a Faunus to Mate with a human if the human could just leave anytime they wanted to… Would that break the bond?"

Blake shook her head slowly. "No, it would not. The Faunus would remain bonded, even if the human no longer cared for them unless they were to consciously break the bond. Which, as I understand it, is a very painful process."

"Wow," Ruby whispered. "That's awful. You're not… Are you worried about us leaving you, Blakey?"

"No, I'm not, little rose," Blake smiled. "I know deep in my soul that the three of us will always be together."

"Good," the brunette replied, snuggling further into her shoulder. "'Cause I feel the same way."

"And I feel the same as well," Pyrrha added, smiling widely. "I have no doubt whatsoever. Er… So what, then, is required for this Mark? You mentioned trust?"

"That is one aspect, yes," Blake continued. "At least for Faunus, in order for a Mark to take between them both, they must have an equal amount of deep-seated affection, unshakable trust, and, above all, mutual respect."

"Well, I think we have those in spades," Ruby giggled. "How else could we make this relationship work?"

Pyrrha nodded. "An excellent point. I know we have the love, certainly the trust. As Ruby mentioned earlier today, we trust each other with our lives and our hearts. As for respect?" The redhead ducked her head to give Blake a quick peck on her lips. "I hold nobody in higher regard than the two of you."

"I do know this," Blake affirmed quietly. "And I have the utmost appreciation for you both as well… It's nice hearing it out loud, though."

"So, what now?" the petite brunette asked with subdued cheer. "I'm all for this, do we move ahead?"

Blake glanced at Pyrrha who gave her yet another reassuring nod. "Well… I need to do a little more research to make absolutely sure I understand how this works," the raven-haired Faunus mused. "And it's only the second week of school… Let's talk again this weekend. I should have the time after we catch up on our schoolwork to do some more reading."

"Okay!" Ruby cheered, sitting up and bouncing in her seat, causing Blake's hand to bounce along with her. "This is so cool!"

Both Pyrrha and Blake joined in with her excited giggles.

_This is quite the big step for us. But I truly have no doubt this is the correct one for us to take. I adore these two so very much…_

Pyrrha smiled softly as she ran her thumb along Blake's wrist. _And I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with them._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sappiness at full levels? Check. Maximum fluff? Double check. Purruby gettin' their Mating mojo on? Triple check. (See what I did there? Eh? Ehhh?) Once again, major shout-out to the esteemed OmegaInfinity and their brilliant polyamory tale, Linked in Life and Love. All credit and much love for my solid headcannon now regarding Faunus Mating. Cheers!
> 
> Also, Sun and Neptune? Yes, the gay is strong with this story. Cue up Everyone is Gay by A Great Big World… Next chapter will have more on the topic of Mating!
> 
> Stay shiny!


	64. Chapter 64

Blake smiled affectionately at her diminutive brunette girlfriend as she skipped on ahead from the landing pad. The Faunus girl's fingers were entwined with her other, redheaded girlfriend who walked at a more sedate pace next to her.

"This is gonna be so cool!" Ruby chirped excitedly over her shoulder for perhaps the dozenth time in the past hour alone.

"Is it just me," Pyrrha murmured, "or is our little rose excited for this weekend?"

"You know, you just might be correct in that assumption," Blake deadpanned in reply. The pair shared a small grin before coming to a stop next to the village hostel that would be their resting place that evening.

Ruby strode out from the interior of the small, two-story building, smiling widely. "Okay, we're all set! Room's waiting for us, we can just drop our bags inside and they'll take them up! We ready to go kill some Grimm?"

"Looking forward to it," the Cat Faunus replied. She unslung her overnight bag and set it just inside the doorway, giving the proprietor a brief though grateful smile.

Life for second-year students was a bit different from their first year at Beacon. For one, they had much more leeway on the missions they undertook. The Hunters-in-training were encouraged to look up jobs and bounties on their own from the boards and were able to do them without supervision.

Better yet, they didn't always have to do them with their established team. The staff actually encouraged students to branch out somewhat and group with others, so long as they did not attempt any of the jobs outside the city alone.

And so it was that Ruby, Pyrrha, and Blake undertook an overnight job at a small village on the border of Vale to eradicate some troublesome Ursae who were prowling around the edges of their farming fields. The bounty was rather minute, but more importantly in the three girls' opinion, it came with an offer of free room for the night, since they were so far out.

As such, the excursion became something of a vacation as well.

After one more quick stop by the combination of mayor's office, town hall, local constabulary, and jail, just to verify the mission parameters and location, they were on their way through the forest. Once outside of the protection of the walls, Ruby instantly dropped her cheerful disposition and became much more serious, her beloved _Crescent Rose_ in its sniper rifle form and held at the ready. Blake was in the front, ears unwrapped as soon as they were out of sight from the village in order to better scout. _Gambol Shroud_ was at her side and clutched loosely in her left hand by the sheath.

For her part, Pyrrha strode determinedly at the rear with _Akouo_ slung across her back. _Milo_ was in her hands as a rifle, her aim restlessly roving about much as Ruby's was.

It took them a good hour to reach the last location of a Grimm attack. The village had been fortunate as of late in that Grimm sightings had become increasingly rare, at least in those parts. Much of that was attributed to the general cheer and goodwill among the villagers themselves, as well as the determined efforts of a Huntress that had resided in the area up until a year ago.

Right now, though, they had a small pack of Ursae to deal with, a task which the three girls were most ably equipped to handle.

 _I wonder where they came from,_ Blake mused idly, her Faunus ears twitching atop her head at every breeze, every minuscule sound from the forest. _The ridges hereabouts should have provided decent protection from migrant Grimm, unless perhaps they found a way over…_

She was shaken from her thoughts by a low rumble that came distantly to the right of them. She froze, her right hand upraised in a fist. Instantly her girlfriends ceased their own motions. They noted where Blake was peering intently towards and faced the same direction, though they kept their heads on a swivel to defend against a potential ambush.

Which was a sensible enough precaution, as the muted _snap_ of a twig from the far left made Blake's head whip around. "They know we're here," the raven-haired girl murmured.

"Surrounding us?" Pyrrha murmured back, unconcerned. Blake merely nodded in confirmation.

"Whelp, saves us the trouble of tracking them down," Ruby whispered with a grin. "You up to playing bait again, fluffy fox?"

"Oh, I suppose," the redhead smiled. "I expect a foot rub later."

"Hmm, I can give you _allll_ kinds of rubs," Ruby snickered before disappearing in a flurry of rose petals.

"Such a tease," Pyrrha sighed melodramatically.

"It's not teasing if it's a promise," Blake replied. She gave the leggy redhead a wink before she used a shadow clone to propel herself up and into the trees. There she crouched, motionless and silent, as she waited for the Grimm to spring their ambush.

They didn't have to wait long, as soon enough a roar broke through the forest. Five large, lumbering forms broke from the shadows cast by the overhanging foliage, racing in at Pyrrha from all directions.

 _Only five?_ Blake scoffed. _Make it a challenge at least._

As if in response, another, much larger form appeared from ahead, this one twice the size of the other Ursae.

_Hmm, an Alpha. Well, I did ask for that, didn't I..._

If things went as they usually did, both Ruby and Blake would wait until the last second to drop on the regular Ursae while Pyrrha stood strong in the middle, brandishing shield and spear. Once they finished them off, they could focus on the Alpha Grimm.

Her amber eyes tracked the charging monsters while she kept tabs on the larger one with her peripheral vision. As expected, it was allowing the lesser Grimm to wear down the lone Huntress before it would close in to finish her off.

_Not today, beast, you will not be laying a single claw on either of my loves._

When the closest Ursae was but a few paces away, Blake dropped down and onto the shoulders of the rearmost one. One quick slash of her katana decapitated the Grimm, and she easily rolled off to face the next one.

A flash of red swept past her, leaving a trail of both rose petals and black ichor. Three more of the Ursae were felled, their corpses already disintegrating before they hit the forest floor. Blake darted in towards the remaining one who was now engaged with Pyrrha. The tall warrior didn't need her help, though, as she easily dodged the monster's attack to skewer it through the throat, ripping out to the side and killing it easily.

"Well, that was hardly worth breaking a sweat over," the redhead commented mildly.

"I'm sure we can accommodate you better," Blake snarked, indicating the approaching Alpha. "Big brother there looks suitably pissed."

Ruby giggled lightly as she walked up, twirling her scythe until the tip was embedded in the ground. "So, I'll soften the big guy up for you girls?"

"Why thank you, love," Pyrrha laughed, giving the brunette a quick peck on the cheek. "That's very sweet of you."

Pyrrha and Blake separated, racing in at the Alpha Ursa from opposite sides while Ruby opened up with her massive sniper-scythe. The high-impact Dust rounds immediately took a toll on the large beast, who quickly realized it might be in over its head. The hesitation, a clear sign of its age and cunning intellect, proved to be its undoing, however. Sunlight flashed off of the round gold shield that was thrown like a discus to bounce off of its forehead. Pyrrha charged in, catching her shield on the fly as she whipped her spear across, scoring a long, bloody line against the Alpha Ursa's arm. It roared in anger, but before it could react Blake was there. The dark-clad Cat Faunus shimmered as she ran, and three shadowy copies of herself hurtled on in to confuse and disorient the creature. Then Blake herself dove in, whipping her weapon on the end of its ribbon to repeatedly flay the great beast's flesh and armor.

The Alpha Grimm reared back, enraged beyond all reason as it staggered about, trying to land a hit on the two elusive Huntresses-in-training. It stopped in its tracks, however, as a well-aimed shot from Ruby pierced the now-cracked skull plating. Its red eyes dimmed as it toppled backward, taking its time to disintegrate due to its age.

"Well now, that was more of a fight!" Pyrrha laughed joyfully. She wrapped her arm around Blake with a one-armed hug that she returned as the two of them walked back towards their other girlfriend.

Ruby was waiting for them, a wide grin on her face as she shouldered her scythe. "That was awesome work, guys!" she cheered.

"And a very nice shot, little rose," Blake murmured as she bent over to give the brunette a quick kiss. "Shall we continue, make sure that was the last of them?"

"Yep, let's do that!" Ruby giggled excitedly. "And then, back to our room!"

* * *

Half an hour further into their patrol the three of them were fairly certain that they'd seen the last of the Grimm in the near area. The forest sounds had returned, and none of them could pick up on any hint of the monsters.

With plenty of time left in the day, however, they decided to make doubly sure and extended their walk to encompass the ridgeline surrounding the lands of the village.

"So, as long as we're just walking," Blake mentioned as they meandered up the side of the steep hill. "I did a little more reading on the Mate's Mark."

"Oh, cool!" Ruby chirped. "Can you tell us about it? Like, how it works, and how you'd do it, and… y'know, that kinda stuff?"

"That was the idea, yes," the raven-haired girl smirked slightly over her shoulder. She changed her pace in order to draw alongside the others so that the three of them were walking abreast through the forest, though they kept their weapons at the ready still.

"So first off, the Mark itself." Though she was staring off into the forest, she knew a blush was covering her face as she finally got around to what she considered to be the most embarrassing tidbit about the whole process. "Er… it's a bite."

"A… bite?" Pyrrha asked without rancor.

"Well, more like… a giant hickey."

Ruby giggled from the other side of Pyrrha, her sharp silver eyes roaming about incessantly. "Whelp, so far no complaints here. You can stick a hickey anywhere you like on me, kitty cat."

Blake's blush intensified. "Right… What happens is, I'd basically make the… Mark… on your left shoulder, down below the neckline. Your Aura won't heal it right away due to its nature… I mean, not like there'd be any blood drawn or anything," she hastened to add.

Her redheaded girlfriend gave her a bump with her shoulder. "Do not be so anxious," Pyrrha murmured. "Nothing you say will deter either of us from this, love. I admit, I'm very curious about how it works, but whatever it takes, we'll do it."

"Yep!" the brunette burbled happily. "We're already yours, anything that makes our bond stronger is awesome in my book!"

"Okay…" Blake let out a huff of air, dispelling any remaining anxiety. "So, then, when I make the Mark, I'd infuse it with my own Aura, that's what makes it more difficult to heal." She pursed her lips as she recalled something else. "Um, just so you know, the most effective way to ensure the Mark takes is for it to be applied during a, er… moment of passion."

Ruby stifled a sharp bark of laughter, and even Pyrrha was smiling widely. "Oh, Blakey," the brunette chuckled. "This just keeps getting better! Would the volume of our passionate screams help any as well? 'Cause I think we can work on that too…"

"You are such a dork," Blake muttered fondly over both of her girlfriend's increased giggling.

"Practice does make perfect," Pyrrha smirked.

"Oh, very true, fluffy fox," Ruby grinned in return. "We should make sure we do a few trial runs."

"Just to be sure it takes."

"Well, yeah, this is serious stuff, right?"

"It would not do to make a mistake."

"Yep, definitely gotta make sure we reach our peak."

Blake let out an exasperated sigh as she eyed the pair of girls, now supporting each other as they shook with laughter. Their walk had come to a stop as they were no longer able to keep in a straight line. "Are you two done?" she asked with only the barest hint of a smirk.

"Yep, we're good, kitty cat!"

"I believe we are, love."

"Good," the raven-haired girl huffed with mock indignation. "Now, it will take overnight to ensure the Mark takes. We'd be able to tell by the morning."

Ruby sighed softly as she wiped tears of mirth from her eyes and resumed their patrol. "So, seems pretty simple, yeah?"

"Well, I suppose so," Blake murmured. "At least from your end."

"Anything we can do to make this easier for you?" the redhead asked with her usual concern for both of her girlfriend's well-being.

"No," Blake smiled softly, the village coming into sight. "Just be yourselves, that's all I need."

_That and the overwhelming love I am inundated with whenever I am in the embrace of the both of you..._

* * *

Blake stretched her sore muscles out, blinking her amber eyes at the morning sunlight filtering in through the curtains. She smiled softly in remembrance of the previous night's activities, particularly the efforts of her very attentive lovers. An involuntary purr rumbled through her chest as she looked across the bed.

Pyrrha was lying on her back, one arm underneath Blake and the other wrapped around the small but muscular brunette. The three of them were still very naked, making it difficult at times to tell who the tangled limbs belonged to.

The raven-haired girl carefully sat up, reaching across to brush her fingers through Ruby's red-tipped bangs before leaning in and giving Pyrrha a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Hmmm," the redhead hummed softly. Her emerald eyes cracked open slowly, peering into Blake's face. A gradual, rather sappy smile began to creep across Pyrrha's features.

"Good morning, love," Blake murmured.

"Good morning, kitty cat," Pyrrha breathed. "It'd be even better if you came back down here."

"I suppose I can oblige," the Cat Faunus smirked. She pressed her lips against Pyrrha's, moaning softly as they quickly deepened the kiss. Neither girl strove to take control, each simply enjoying the taste and feel of the other.

They separated soon enough, smiling at each other widely.

"I suppose it's a good thing neither of us mind morning breath," the raven-haired girl murmured.

Pyrrha giggled lightly. "True enough. Speaking of which, however, I need to use the facilities."

"I think you must first extract yourself from the octopus around you."

The redhead peered down the length of her body, where Ruby was indeed doing an admirable job of portraying a creature of more than just four limbs. "A little help, perhaps?"

Blake smirked as she pulled on Ruby's arm. Between the two of them, they managed to peel the comatose brunette off, though she was quick to latch onto Blake next, snoring softly all the while.

"I think we managed to exhaust her last night," Pyrrha chuckled as she rose from the bed.

The Cat Faunus hummed softly as she enjoyed the view of her tall, leggy, and naked girlfriend walking towards the bathroom. "She's not the only one." Her eyes snapped up when she noticed a dark, purplish spot on the other girl's shoulder before she ducked around the corner.

_Oh, right… That really did happen, didn't it…_

Carefully moving aside the mess of red-tipped brown hair currently resting across her chest, Blake craned her neck to check Ruby's left shoulder.

_And there too. So, it looks like it took…? I think?_

_Only one way to be sure, really, but I'd rather they both be awake for it._

As she heard the toilet flush, the raven-haired girl gently prodded the slumbering brunette in her arms. "Time to wake up, little rose."

"Hrm… five more minutes…"

"No, Ruby, come on."

"Awww…" Silver eyes blinked open. "Oh, hey Blakey. 'Mornin'."

"Good morning, sweetie. Er… do you wish to use the restroom?"

Ruby yawned widely as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, ending in an adorable little _squeak_ that made Blake grin.

"Nah, m'okay."

"May I go do so, then?"

"Does that mean I gotta stop cuddling?"

"Yes, it does."

"Drat. Well, okay, then."

The diminutive muscular girl disengaged herself from Blake, rolling back over and into the middle of the bed. She sprawled outward on her back, arms and legs splayed in a most undignified manner.

Blake just shook her head in amusement as she gracefully rolled out of bed and onto her feet. She padded over to the bathroom, pausing around the corner and rapping on the door frame.

"May I come in?"

"You may, kitty cat."

Pyrrha was standing at the mirror, transfixed by the sight of the wide bruise that now adorned her shoulder while she held her long, luxurious hair up over her head. She had a soft and wondrous smile on her face as she lightly touched the ridges still present from Blake's teeth imprint with her free hand.

"Did… Did it work?" Pyrrha asked hesitantly.

"I think so," Blake murmured. She pressed the length of her body against Pyrrha's back, sliding her hands around to rest on the taller girl's hips. Kissing the back of her other shoulder, amber eyes met emerald green ones in the mirror. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm not sure," Pyrrha replied, still wearing the same fascinated smile. "Can we, er… test it out?"

"Mmm," the Cat Faunus conceded. "Pee first."

"Be my guest," Pyrrha chuckled lightly. "Is our little rose awake?"

"Unless she fell back asleep, yes."

The redhead's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Well, I should go make sure. Perhaps a pounce is in order."

Blake giggled merrily as she sat upon the toilet. "Have fun."

Her giggles turned into outright laughter as she heard the indignant _squawk_ from the other room.

"Oof! Pyrrha, I expect this from Blakey, not you!"

"Well, we must keep things interesting, yes?"

"Can we keep it interesting without an elbow in my gut?"

"Sorry!"

By the time Blake was finished and washed up, she entered the room to see Ruby now sitting up. She and Pyrrha faced each other, while the shorter girl was twisting her head around to observe her large bruise.

Both greeted the Cat Faunus with a wide smile. "So, you gonna test it, kitty cat?" Ruby asked excitedly, bouncing on the bed slightly.

"Not if you keep doing that," Blake admonished with a wry grin. "Stop being so distracting."

Ruby quickly stilled her bouncing and subsequent jiggling of her distracting assets. "Sorry 'bout that," she smirked, her face anything but.

The raven-haired girl sighed and shook her head amusedly as she climbed onto the bed, sitting cross-legged and in the same position as the other two. They all faced each other, Ruby and Pyrrha with expectant and enthusiastic looks on their faces.

"Alright," Blake began. "I'll see if I can, er… make this work."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. The more she did this and the more comfortable she became in doing it, the easier this would be. Eventually, according to the books she'd read, she might even be able to manage it with her eyes open and concentrating on other things.

Right now, however, she cleared her mind in order to focus.

Once centered, Blake sent a small inquisitive probe of her aura outward. It was very different from how a Hunter normally used their aura to heal themselves, or power their semblance, but it used essentially the same methods as some would in order to sense another's aura level.

In this case, however, she was probing for two particular Marks.

Blake sucked in a quick breath as her tentative query was immediately answered. Blossoming before her closed eyes were two brilliant shades of color, both pulsing brightly due to their incredibly strong aura and close proximity. Pyrrha's was a golden hue that was tinged with streaks of both red and purple, while Ruby's glowed a strong crimson. Interestingly, her aura had the same sort of streaks as Pyrrha's but with gold and purple.

"I can see you," Blake whispered with a wide smile. She was somewhat startled to note that her cheeks were wet from her happy tears. "Um… I'm going to try and feel you now, okay?"

"Okay, Blakey."

"That's fine, love."

Both of their voices were filled with the same soft wonder that had defined their smiles earlier. Blake took another deep breath and extended her aura out towards the other two. Much to her surprise, their auras shifted and met her halfway.

_Love. Acceptance. Joy. Warmth. Belonging._

Blake let out a choked sob as her girlfriend's emotions washed over her, filling her with the same sense of serenity and adoration that she felt herself when with them. It was incredibly powerful, filling her to the brim with delight.

Quickly, though, the emotions shifted slightly.

_Worry. Concern._

"Are you alright, Blakey?" Ruby asked quietly, her voice reflecting the same emotions that Blake was now sensing.

The raven-haired girl nodded rapidly without opening her eyes. "Do you… You remember what we talked about, how to try and push your aura out? See if you can do so now."

Blake kept her connection firm as she watched the auras of her girlfriends shift in her mind's eye. Then the both of them suddenly swirled and brightened with shock.

"Oh my Oum," Pyrrha breathed. "I can… Is that you? The… The amethyst light? And then Ruby… You'd be the red one?"

"I think so," Ruby replied softly. "I can see purple, and then gold… but there's other colors in there too, is that normal?"

"Well, I don't believe it can be called _normal_ ," Blake stated warmly. "But our auras have intermingled, we have each other's colors."

"Yeah… Yeah, okay, I can see the red and purple in yours, fluffy fox… And Blakey, I can see red and gold in yours… So, that's us? We're all, like, mixed in?"

"Something like that."

"Wow…"

"I have to agree with little rose," Pyrrha giggled. "Wow."

Both of them were sending her the same emotions now, though she was getting better at sorting them out so she could tell whose were whose.

_Wonder. Awe. Joy. Love. Warmth. Acceptance._

She clung to that last one tenaciously, filled with an abundance of relief that the both of them were reacting so well.

"Okay then," Blake murmured. "That's a really huge step, most humans can't even see that. So let's try the next… Go ahead and try to reach out with your aura, stretch towards mine. Just to me for now, I don't want you to exert yourself, and I'm not even sure if you can sense each other's."

Pyrrha picked up on it right away, and she felt a jolt of shock as she made the connection. Ruby followed soon enough on her heels, however, and she heard the sharp gasp from the brunette.

"Oh, Blakey," Ruby sobbed. "Is that… Is that how you feel about me? About… us?"

Blake opened her eyes then. Both of her girlfriends had tears running down their faces and wide, disbelieving smiles, though Pyrrha's was covered by one hand as she shook with soundless weeping.

"Yes," she whispered brokenly. "That's how I feel about the both of you."

She reached forward to touch their knees. The redhead and brunette blinked their eyes open, staring at Blake in astonishment.

"It definitely worked," the Cat Faunus murmured, knowing she had the biggest, face-splitting smile of her life on her face. "We're Mated."

She was wordlessly and simultaneously tackled to the bed by both girls. The three of them spent perhaps a good hour just laying there in each other's arms, sobbing with happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, them feels! So once again, major props to OmegaInfinity and their awesome polyamory tale, Linked in Life and Love, from which I derive much of the details regarding Mating. I'm not going to make this a really huge deal, it might pop every so often, but the three girls now have an incredible bond that allows them to communicate through emotions, essentially, but more importantly allow them to locate each other over a pretty decent range. I'm thinking within the confines of a kingdom as the range.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	65. Chapter 65

"So, the first stage of the Mark only lasts a few days?" Ruby asked curiously, scratching absentmindedly at her shoulder. "I mean, not that I mind you biting me any…"

"Ruby!" her raven-haired girlfriend exclaimed, her tone hushed. "Can we not talk about that in the middle of the dorm?"

The brunette peered around the deserted hallway leading towards their room curiously. "Um, nobody's here to listen…"

"Fine," Blake grumbled, her bow twitching furiously. She smiled slightly in appeasement at the warm kiss Ruby placed on her cheek and accompanying innocent giggle.

"So, yes, that's why I reapplied the Mark last night," Blake continued quietly, resuming their trek back to their room. "The first stage is just like you saw, a bruise, but it eventually fades."

"Right, and what did you call it? Sorta like a Dating Mark?"

"Correct again, it's a pre-stage for Faunus to truly see each other for who they are, to see if their potential Mates are in fact worth bonding permanently to."

"Hmm." Ruby nodded slowly as she slipped her arm around Blake's waist. "Sorry I wasn't paying attention to all this last night…"

"Well, you were a bit… tired, after the, er… re-application." The Cat Faunus was blushing lightly. "I don't mind going over it again."

"So then stage two is sorta like being engaged and is more permanent?" Ruby queried. "What kinda-"

"This is such Grimmshit!"

Ruby and Blake shared a startled look outside their dorm room, their conversation cut short by the bellow from within. While Yang was known for her fiery temper, she'd been notably calmer since she and Weiss had started dating last semester.

The brunette squared her shoulders and pushed the door open, but just a crack.

"Um… Everything okay in here?" she called out tentatively.

"No, it is most certainly _not_ okay!" Weiss' voice huffed out. "Get in here!"

"Are we in trouble?" Ruby gulped, easing herself into the room. Blake ghosted in behind her, blatantly keeping in the smaller girl's shadow.

The brunette shot her a smirk over her shoulder, which Blake returned with an unabashed one of her own.

"Sooo… what's up, guys?" Ruby asked the couple currently hovering over Weiss' scroll while seated on the edge of their bed.

"This!" Weiss proclaimed, shaking her scroll in the air. " _This_ is what is up! What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Um…" Ruby glanced about for inspiration. "Nobody saw me do it, can't prove a thing? Heheh…"

"This is not a laughing matter, Ruby Rose! Not when we will be the object of universal derision!"

"Okay, that's maybe a little harsh, babe," Yang murmured soothingly.

Ruby had to hide her grin behind her hand. Seeing her combustible sister calm down the icy heiress never failed to amuse her.

Just then Pyrrha burst through the door, out of breath from running from where she'd evidently been working out, as evidenced by her attire. "What's wrong?"

Ruby and Blake shared a sheepish grin. Evidently, they'd been worried enough that Pyrrha had picked up on it via their Mating bond, something the three of them had been quietly and subtly working on over the past week.

"Er, we're not really sure yet, fluffy fox," Ruby murmured. "But somehow it seems to be our fault. Whatever it is."

"Have you not even read your incoming mail yet?" Weiss asked loudly.

Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha looked at each other in perplexion before digging their scrolls out.

" _Ooooh_ …" came three simultaneous quiet exclamations, all with the exact same intonation.

While Yang snickered loudly, Weiss gave her girlfriend a nudge with her elbow. "Read it!" she demanded of the others.

" _Beacon Rules and Regulations, Current Semester_?" Blake asked. "Didn't they already post this?"

"It's a revision," Weiss snarled.

The three girls slowly meandered over to their bed, sitting down next to each other on the edge while reading their scrolls.

"Okay…" Ruby mumbled. "Seems to be pretty much the same… stuff… as… Oh."

"Yes, _oh_ ," Weiss huffed, crossing her arms. "An entire section!"

" _Places Students Are Restricted From Having Sex_?" the diminutive brunette asked incredulously, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"That's just the _first_ new section," Yang chuckled.

"Sooo…" Pyrrha began hesitantly. "How many of these are, er… because of us?"

"Us, as in the three of us," Blake stated levelly, scrolling rapidly down the surprisingly long list. "Or us, as in Team RWBY?"

"Take your pick."

"I'd say the majority of it is a result of our team. Difficult to place the blame for each entry upon either of our relationships."

"Yep," Ruby giggled as she worked down the list. "Yep, yep, yep, yep... Nope, not that one… Yep, yep… Ew, seriously, Yang? The dumpster?"

"Hey, that wasn't us!" Yang protested. "Can you imagine Weiss…?"

"No! I don't want to imagine you and Weiss _anywhere_ , thank you very much!" Ruby exclaimed.

The five girls stared at each other in perplexion.

"I don't believe I really want to know," Blake murmured.

"Nope, me neither," Ruby chuckled wryly. "Moving on… Yep, yep, yep…"

"Wait, three down from the dumpster was you guys as well?" Yang asked with a grin.

"The locker room? Yeah," Ruby grinned sheepishly, the blush on her face matching those of her girlfriends. "We got caught, too…"

"By Goodwitch?"

"Yep…"

"Oh, man, that sucks…" Yang snickered quietly. "At least _we_ didn't get caught…"

Weiss leapt up from the bed, her face livid. "I cannot believe you are all taking this so calmly!" she practically screeched. "What are we going to do when the entire school finds out this list is because of _us_?!"

"Well, I _was_ going to say they wouldn't really know," Blake deadpanned. "After your outburst, however…"

Weiss sat back down, clearly chagrined. "Still," she continued in a much more subdued though still clearly agitated voice. "It gets worse."

"Worse than publishing a list of where we have had sex on campus?" Pyrrha asked incredulously.

"Yup," Yang sighed. "Worse."

The other three girls rapidly scrolled past the admittedly lengthy list to reach the next section, merely labeled _Miscellaneous_.

"Sooo… You gotta pay for property damages now?" Ruby asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, awfully nice of them to single me out there," the blonde grunted irritably.

"To be fair," her Faunus partner remarked, "you do retain a disproportionate majority of damage on the campus."

"Yeah, yeah… Now read the sub-points."

"What?" Ruby barked out, her face bright red. "Why would they…?"

" _Do not, under any circumstances, make Ruby Rose cry_ ," Pyrrha murmured. "Well, that was awfully specific."

"It was the one time!" Yang exclaimed defensively. " _One time_ that Cardin took your cookies our first semester! I'm so much better with my temper now! It's been _ages_ since I've put anyone through a wall!"

"I'm gonna just die now of embarrassment," Ruby mumbled, pulling her hood over her head.

"Many of these are quite… pointed," Pyrrha continued as she scrolled on down. "And yes, many of them do seem to relate to your team, though quite a few from mine as well… This one regarding the breaking of legs is obviously Nora… Oh, and here, disallowing an allergy to boredom as an excuse, I know I've heard her use that before."

" _Do not, under any circumstances, assist Ruby Rose in any weapon-based experiments_?" Ruby sighed from under the cover of her cloak, still reading her scroll. "That's just mean. I've only ever blown myself up."

The redhead snorted softly. "And right under that, the same goes for Weiss with Dust-based experiments." The heiress in question merely huffed indignantly with her nose pointed in the air, muttering something about acceptable collateral damage.

Blake cleared her throat gently, turning her scroll around for everyone to read. On it, she'd typed out, " _We have a listener outside our door_."

Weiss' eyes narrowed. "Could this be… some sort of…" She scowled as she examined her scroll once more, typing rapidly and muttering to herself under her breath. "Expand full message headers… routing data…"

The heiress' head snapped up to stare out at the door, her glare surprisingly not reducing it to ash on the spot. She growled out a single word, like the pronouncement of a sentence of doom.

"Nora."

The next sound they heard was a startled _yelp_ and the scrambling of footsteps out in the corridor. It was followed by the thunderous stampede of five pairs of vengeful feet as they tore after the maniacally giggling pinkette prankster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little more teasing info regarding the Mate's Mark, we'll just have to stay tuned to see what 'stages' Blake's talking about… I got the idea for this chapter from the lovely Nicodemus Cain who clued me in as to what Skippy's List actually was. If you hadn't heard of it, check it via Google. They also pointed me at a wonderful little slice of humor called Rules and Guildlines for a Better Beacon Experience by RexHeller. It's hilarious, even if it's Guildlines and not Guidelines in the title.
> 
> And how, exactly, have you kept track of where your friends have been having sex, Nora? I'm not sure I really want to know.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	66. Chapter 66

Jaune closed the door to his dorm behind him as he strode down the hallway, clad in his workout clothes. He shot a wry grin at the entrance to Team RWBY's room, where his partner seemed to spend most of her time nowadays.

He couldn't really blame her. Pyrrha had been so incredibly focused, so very _driven_ when she first came to Beacon, to uphold the expectations set upon her by her parents, by her fans, by her peers. It had been a bit intimidating, really. But ever since she'd begun dating Ruby, and subsequently Blake as well, she eventually had changed. And in his eyes, it was definitely a change for the better.

The blond always remembered his father talking about 'work-life balance' back when he was trying to convince Jaune to enter the corporate world alongside him. The same could be applied to Hunters as well, he supposed, but it was something Pyrrha was definitely lacking the first semester at Beacon. Granted, during that time she'd used that same energetic drive to better Jaune as a leader, a student, and a fighter, which he was eternally grateful for. But now she was so very much happier.

Now that the foundation had been set, and Jaune placed upon the right path, he really didn't need the constant tutoring anymore. He was certainly more comfortable as a team leader, and his combat skills had increased immensely, though his semblance still needed some work in fine control. Still, he'd come a long way, perhaps from the opposite direction that Pyrrha had started from.

As he turned the corner leading from their wing of the dormitory, he almost walked right into a petite, white-clad girl.

"Watch where you're- Oh. Hello, Jaune."

"Hey there, Weiss," the blond chuckled. "Sorry, didn't see you there."

"No matter, I wasn't paying attention either," she replied airily, waving her hand over her shoulder. "Have a good day."

"Yeah, you too." He shook his head as the heiress rounded the corner, amused at the change that had come over her as well. He wasn't sure if it was solely because she was dating Yang or the 'recreational activities' she and her girlfriend got into. According to Nora, who for some reason was obsessed with the other relationships at Beacon, claiming it was for 'research purposes', the two went at it every opportunity they could get.

"Jaune!"

His gaze snapped up to spy another petite form hurtling down the hallway towards him, this one a familiar red-cloaked shape.

"Hi Ruby," he greeted the first friend he'd made at Beacon. "What's up?"

"Oh my gosh, you wouldn't _believe_ the cool stuff Blakey's been teaching me!" the brunette squealed, bouncing excitedly on her toes.

"Teaching you?"

"Yeah, 'cause I kinda suck at any fighting without my sweetheart, right? And every time dad or Yang would try and teach me, well, it just wouldn't stick. But Blakey, she's got all these ninja-like moves, like _whaaapow_ and stuff, and she said it'd work _sooo_ much better with my body type!" The excitable girl took a deep breath, her silver eyes sparkling. "Wanna see what I can do now?"

The words "Yeah, sure" were out of his mouth before his brain could catch up and advise against any such thing. By that point, of course, it was far too late, and he found himself lying on his back, stunned and staring cross-eyed at the ceiling.

"Isn't that cool?" Ruby practically shouted.

"Um… yep…"

"Okay, well, see ya Jaune!" With that she was off again, skipping around the corner from where he'd come.

As he maintained his prone position, he next heard Weiss' shrill voice carrying from around the corner.

"Ow, Ruby, what the actual hell?"

"Sorry, I'm sorry, I was just excited to show you!"

Jaune sighed softly. "Never a dull moment around here," he murmured.

"True enough," another familiar voice giggled from nearby.

He peered down the length of his body to spy his partner walking arm-in-arm with Blake towards him.

"If it makes you feel any better," the raven-haired girl murmured in amusement as they passed. "You're number six today."

"It doesn't, but thanks anyways."

"Do you need some help, Jaune?" the redhead asked, eyes twinkling with humor.

"Nope, I'm good Pyrrha, thanks, though."

The two girls waved amicably to him as they rounded the corner in slow pursuit of their girlfriend.

"Yep," Jaune sighed, still staring up at the ceiling. "Never a dull moment."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short little ditty today to start the week off. An amusing idea that I didn't think needed expounded upon much more, but also giving a little peek into Jaune perspective of the relationships going on. Credit to joltflier for the chapter idea. 
> 
> So, props to Marauderby who picked up on the true reason for Nora's ability to ferret out where the girls have been having sex around campus: Her army of Ninja Sloth Assassins / Spies. In their words, "They are so ninja like that not even Blake-The-Ninja-Cat-Belladonna can sense them!" Fear the Sloth.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	67. Chapter 67

" _Okaaay_ ," Jaune drawled nervously. "So, who wants to go investigate the spooky cave first?"

Unsurprisingly, the only hand to be excitedly raised among the members of Team JNPR was Nora's.

"That's likely the best option anyway," Pyrrha murmured to her partner. "Place the highly explosive force out front instead of behind us."

"Pyrrha, you're a tactical genius," the blond joked quietly before raising his voice again. "Alright, Nora takes point, I'll be behind her, then Pyrrha. Ren, you'll bring up the rear. Remember, guys, this is just an information-gathering mission, not extermination."

"But if we see Grimm, we can absolutely exterminate them, right?" Nora asked eagerly, fondling _Magnhild_ with a fervor that would put one of Blake's 'romance' books to shame.

 _And I had to go thinking about them_ , Pyrrha sighed internally. _I'd been doing so well, too. Only two days away and already I'm homesick_.

She closed her eyes briefly, sending a brief pulse of her aura along the bond that had been renewed the day before she and her team had left Beacon. She knew that the others were too far away for her to see, really, much less connect with, but still…

And then she felt it, ever so slightly, a warmth on her shoulder where the Mark was, like the sensation of a feather-light kiss. Likely Blake reacting to her and sending her reassurance.

_I'm never truly apart from them now._

It was still so new to her, even after a little over a week of being Mated to her girlfriends. She hoped that she would never take this ability, this closeness for granted.

"Pyr? You okay?"

The redhead's eyes shot open and she gave Jaune a wide smile. "I'm fine. Ready to go in?"

Though his eyes still reflected concern, the team leader gave her a nod and started inside the cave after Nora.

Pyrrha took a deep breath to re-center herself and get back into the mindset of the mission. She snapped the glowstick attached to her belt to life and moved forward, noting Ren silently filing in behind her.

She hadn't told any of them about this new ability of hers, unsure as to how they might take it. In fact, she'd taken to wearing a short red cloak with her usual combat attire in order to conceal the fading purplish bruise on her shoulder so as to stave off any questions. She was fairly sure her team would be fine with it but seeing as how not even Ruby's sister nor the brunette's partner knew, it would be unfair to let anyone else know before the other half of Team RWBY. Pyrrha could be patient, she understood the need to wait, especially seeing how protective Yang had been of Ruby in the past. How she'd managed to not demolish half of the island of Patch when she found out her baby sister was having _sex_ was a miracle in itself. A miracle whose name she would attribute to a certain heiress, the platinum-haired girl being more of a calming influence over the blonde bruiser than anything else on Remnant.

Pyrrha gave herself another shake to push away the reminiscing. She needed to focus and keep alert, there had been reports of a certain type of Grimm rarely seen in these parts, and if they were beginning to infest this region then the Hunters would be called out in full before it got any worse.

"Anything?" she called out ahead softly.

Silhouetted by his glowstick, Jaune shook his head and glanced over his shoulder. "Not a thing yet."

The cave itself seemed to expand somewhat the further they progressed. The tall redhead was grateful that the roof was high up enough for her to stand upright, though she noted with some concern that it had now sloped upwards and out of the pool of light cast by her meager glowstick. Soon enough the walls curved away as well.

"We should stick by a side," Jaune whispered harshly. "In case there are branches."

"Gotcha!" Nora called back with unusual restraint on her normal boisterousness.

They got another half dozen paces before Ren tapped her on the shoulder. Pyrrha froze, reaching out with her spear to tap Jaune as well.

They all stood in place, the only sound to be heard their own breathing. Until, that is, a harsh chittering sounded from far above their heads.

"Well, shitbiscuits," Nora grunted. "That sound like Arachnids?"

"Disturbingly so, yes," Pyrrha murmured. "Jaune?"

"Yeah, let's get the hell out of here," he replied firmly. "I don't need to wait to see one before-" The blond's eyes suddenly grew wide. "Ren, move!"

His quick shout likely saved the raven-haired boy grievous injury as a dog-sized spider with glowing red eyes dropped right where he had stood. Pyrrha was quick to stab the Grimm, yanking her spear back out again and hurrying to keep up with the others.

"Move, move, move!" Jaune panted. "Nora, still with us?"

"You betcha, boss-man," the orange-haired girl chirped. "Just lemme know when I can go crazy with the big booms!"

"After we're out," their team leader ordered. "We don't need a cave-in on our heads!"

Pyrrha could just make out the cave entrance ahead when something hit her in the back, sending her sprawling. She twisted adroitly, biting back a curse as her shield sent one of the Arachnids flying. Before she could get up, however, another pair were on her. She got her spear up in time to impale one, but the other darted in and bit down hard on her leg.

She let out a shriek of agony as the venom burned into her, aggravated by the tearing motion of the Arachnid's mandibles. Before it could do further damage, it disintegrated under the head of an oversized hammer.

The redhead panted as she tried to stand, but suddenly the pain was no longer there. Unfortunately, she couldn't feel her leg either and quickly collapsed when she tried to put pressure on it, both of her weapons clattering to the floor.

Dazedly, she felt herself being flung over the shoulders of someone much shorter than herself in a fireman's carry.

"Don't worry, Pyrrha, I gotcha," Nora called out, though her words sounded as if they were coming from underwater. "Jaune's got your stuff!"

The redhead could hear, dimly, the chattering sounds of Ren's weapons as he covered for them. And then she was out in the sunlight again, flopped onto her back. None of her limbs seemed to want to work, even her head just lolled uncontrollably atop her neck.

"Nora, bring that damn cave entrance down!" Jaune barked out. His face swam into her blurry vision, full of concern. She could tell he was speaking to her, loudly by the looks of it, but now she couldn't hear anything either. The edges of her vision were beginning to darken, she couldn't feel anything at all, except for a small recess of her mind that was panicking and screaming for help.

She couldn't even feel her Mark anymore, and that terrified her more than anything.

She was only conscious enough for one final thought.

_I'm sorry, Ruby, Blake… I love you both..._

* * *

When Pyrrha next opened her eyes, she had to squint at the harsh lighting. She could feel again, which wasn't necessarily a good thing as she, quite frankly, felt like utter shit.

"Easy now, Miss Nikos," a male voice called out. "You shouldn't be awake just yet, let me give you something…"

She felt a prick on her arm, and slowly began to drift away once more.

At least this time she didn't feel the need to panic. She was alive, apparently in a hospital, but still… Where were the others?

Groggily, she grasped at her aura even though it felt like trying to hold sand in a hurricane, just enough to send a trickle. Her eyes were closed, and without even turning her head she saw them, pulsing glows of purple and crimson, evidently just down the hallway. She tried to reach out to them in reassurance, but couldn't actually make the connection.

But then she felt them both. It must have been enough for them to feel her awake, as she was flooded with feelings from her girlfriends.

_Relief. Fear. Worry. Love. Warmth. Safe._

She smiled softly as she allowed herself to finally lose consciousness, secure in the fact that she was, indeed, safe.

* * *

Pyrrha groggily peeled her eyes open. She wasn't sure where she was at first until the familiar walls of Team RWBY's dorm room came into focus. The whole scene looked to be fuzzy, though, as if she was wearing goggles or something. Coherent thought seemed to be a struggle also, as she fought to remember what happened.

"Fluffy fox!" a quiet voice cheered from close by. Her head flopped to the side to spy Ruby's face peering at her worriedly. "How are you feeling?" the brunette asked, her voice subdued.

"I'm feeling… fine," she slurred. Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why's it.. hard to… talk?"

"Oh, yeah, you got some really good drugs in the infirmary," Ruby smiled wanly. "Likely still in your system. Um, they had to put you under to get the toxins out, and fix your leg, apparently the venom was preventing your aura from healing and…" The brunette trailed off and her silver eyes got teary. "I'm sorry, I don't wanna stress you any… We were so worried about you…"

"It's okay… little rose," she smiled. Pyrrha tried to reach out to pat Ruby's cheek but ended up planting her palm across her nose, which caused the brunette to actually giggle. "I'm here, everything's gonna… be okay…"

"Yeah, we're okay," Ruby sighed, snuggling into her shoulder. "Blakey's picking up some lunch for us, you hungry?"

"I dunno," the redhead replied in perplexion. "Am I?"

Ruby snickered softly, turning her head to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Don't worry about it. I think she's gonna get some soup."

"Soup is good."

"Pyrrha?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you," Ruby whispered, her voice once again laden with unshed tears.

"Love you too, little rose," Pyrrha mumbled. She closed her eyes, seemingly for just a second, but when she reopened them the room was far more crowded.

Ruby was still there, perched by her side but sitting up now and eating what looked to be a ham sandwich. Blake was there now as well, eating a tuna sandwich of her own and sitting next to her opposite of Ruby. And then over on the other bed, chatting quietly, were Yang, Weiss, and Jaune.

The redhead focused on her raven-haired girlfriend first, smiling softly. "Hey there, kitty cat."

Blake quickly swallowed her bite and tossed her sandwich to the side, turning so that her face was hovering just inches above hers. "Hello, love," she smiled, amber eyes just as haunted as Ruby's had been earlier. "Good to hear your voice."

She nodded slowly. "Felt you, too."

"Oh, in the hospital?" Blake grinned widely. "Yes, we felt it when you woke the first time…"

Pyrrha frowned slightly, her eyes flickering over to where Ruby was leaning over her as well. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what, fluffy fox?" Blake asked, brow furrowed.

"For worrying you two."

"Oh, sweetie…" Blake sighed as she leaned the rest of the way over, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. "Don't you apologize for that."

"'Kay."

She felt the bed shift and glanced down over Blake's shoulder to see Jaune's smiling face. "Hey, partner," she murmured.

"Hey yourself," her team leader replied. "We figured you'd rather be in here than in our room to recover."

"Hmm, yeah," Pyrrha answered with a wide smile. "Much better in here. We have sex in here."

Five simultaneous barks of laughter made her wince at the noise, though Jaune's blush seemed to rival those of her girlfriends.

"Right, okay… on that note, I'm gonna split." Jaune rose, giving Pyrrha a nod. "I'll check back in with you tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Yep," Pyrrha replied happily. "Knock first, though."

"I will, don't worry," Jaune laughed, hurriedly letting himself out before he could become any more embarrassed.

She could hear both Weiss and Yang still snickering loudly, though Blake sat back now and regarded her fondly.

"What is up with you, fluffy fox?" the Faunus girl asked wryly. "You're usually not this open about our sex life."

"I think she's still got those drugs going through her," Ruby informed Blake. "Guess it makes her a little loopy."

"Oh this is great," Yang chortled. "Drugged-up Pyrrha could be even better than Drunk Pyrrha!"

"Should we be taping this?" Weiss asked humorously.

"You guys, don't make fun of her!" Ruby pouted. "She's had a rough time!"

"Yep, I've had a rough time," Pyrrha conceded. "But I'm home now."

"You are," Blake affirmed warmly, running her hand along the redhead's arm. She gave a happy little hum in response, smiling goofily up at her girlfriend.

"I like that," she giggled.

"Oh, you do, do you?" the Cat Faunus grinned.

"Mmhmm. Not as much as your tongue, though."

At that, Blake brought her hand up to cover her face as Yang and Weiss dissolved into further peals of laughter. "Oh my Oum, Pyrrha," Blake sighed.

"But I do!" Pyrrha insisted, unsure as to why her lover wouldn't understand. "Especially the swirly thing you do where-"

"OKAY THEN!" Blake shouted, her hand now firmly clasped around the redhead's mouth. She cleared her throat, shooting Ruby a glare. "Don't."

"Not saying a thing, kitty cat," the brunette giggled.

"Mmm." Blake leaned over so that her eyes were level with Pyrrha's. "Okay, so, sweetie? Can we not discuss my sex life please?"

"Why not?" Pyrrha asked innocently once the hand was removed.

"Because the rest of my team does not need to hear it."

"Oh." The redhead furrowed her brow in confusion. Sex with her women was one of the highlights of her life right now. Possibly _the_ highlight.

"What about Ruby?" she asked. "I mean, with her fingers, and how-"

"ALRIGHT THAT'S ENOUGH ROOM'S CLOSED!"

Pyrrha watched bemusedly as several rose petals drifted down past her nose. She almost missed Ruby muscling both Yang and Weiss out the door, the pair still giggling merrily, while Blake was laughingly trying to shush her once more. The Cat Faunus was laughing so hard, however, both at Pyrrha's adamant insistence at discussing sex and the brunette's attempts to hustle the others out, that her hand couldn't find Pyrrha's mouth.

There was a loud _slam_ , and Ruby sagged back against the door. "Okay," the brunette breathed. "I'm still not sure why Yang didn't combust when we told her about the Mating, but I _really_ don't wanna get into that kinda stuff with her around, alright, fluffy fox?"

The redhead nodded slowly. "We're alone now, right?"

"Yes, we are," Blake giggled, her amber eyes still twinkling with mirth.

"Can we talk about sex, then?"

"Oh, Pyrrha," Ruby sighed affectionately as she crawled up the bed. Pyrrha noted that she was careful around her injured leg, which much to her surprise had a large bandage around it that she hadn't noticed yet.

The brunette snuggled up into her side, much as she was earlier, and Blake mirrored her on the side that was facing the rest of the room.

"How about we just get some rest, huh?" Ruby pleaded quietly.

"Rest would be nice," Blake agreed. "We haven't gotten much sleep over the last couple of days."

Pyrrha sighed softly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," the brunette replied, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Just snuggle."

"I like snuggles."

"So do I, fluffy fox. Love you both."

"Love you both," Blake's soft voice came from the other side, followed by another kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah," the redhead sighed. "I love you guys. Like, a whole lot. Really, I do, a whole whole lot."

"Pyrrha?"

"Hmm?"

"Go to sleep, love."

"Okay, little rose. 'Night."

The redhead was hesitant to close her eyes again, but the quiet sounds of her girlfriends slumbering, including Ruby's soft snores and Blake's low rumbling purrs, quickly convinced her otherwise.

She was home now and safe in the arms of her loves. Everything would be fine.

* * *

The measured taps of a cane sounded alongside practically noiseless steps as a grey-haired, bespectacled figured moved down the second-year dorm hallway. Ozpin paused, considering the familiar doorway of Team RWBY and the silence that emanated from therein.

"Hmm."

He closed his eyes briefly, seeking out the auras of those hunters-in-training who were currently close by. Immediately he observed a trio of amorphous colors just past the door, unmoving and seemingly in a restful state. What piqued his interest, aside from the commingled colors of the auras, was how the amethyst and crimson ones were bleeding into the gold, their aura, perhaps wholly unconsciously, lending themselves to heal the one in the middle.

"Fascinating," Ozpin murmured, taking a sip from his ever-present mug. Noiselessly turning on his heel, the headmaster strode the long way around towards the stairwell.

He paused at the almost-deserted common room, a faint hint of a smile cracking his usually neutral facade. After another quiet sip from his mug, he headed inside and towards the blonde and platinum-haired girls who were unobtrusively making out in the far corner.

Ozpin cleared his throat gently, his gaze focused on the wall.

"AHHH!" Yang exclaimed with a strangled yell, managing at the last second to catch Weiss by her trim waist and not spill her out on the floor.

"P- Professor Ozpin!" the heiress stammered, hurriedly smoothing out her clothes and straightening her long hair, currently loose about her shoulder. "Er… D- Did you need something, sir?"

"I merely wished to inquire as to how Miss Nikos is doing," he answered smoothly, nodding at the pair and seemingly unfazed by the smaller girl still sitting in the blonde's lap. "I take it Miss Rose and Miss Belladonna are taking apt care of her?"

"Oh, yeah, you know it," Yang snickered, earning her a quick elbow to her ribs that she hardly felt.

"Yes, sir, they're resting in our room at the moment," Weiss replied politely.

"Yeah, 'resting'," the blonde chortled.

"Yang!" her girlfriend hissed, giving her another, harder elbow.

Ozpin nodded calmly. "I am very glad to hear of this. Do give them my regards." With a slight nod, he turned and made his way out of the room. As he left, the harsh whispers from behind easily carried to his sharp ears.

"I cannot believe you!"

"Oh, please, like there's anyone in this school who doesn't know by now how much they go at it…"

" _That does not mean you need to say it in front of the headmaster!_ " Weiss muttered furiously.

Ozpin chuckled mildly to himself as he walked down the steps and out the front door. His faithful assistant met and joined alongside him as he continued towards his office.

"And how is Miss Nikos?" Glynda asked absentmindedly as she perused a report on her scroll, though her tone clearly carried her concern for the student.

"In very capable hands," Ozpin murmured with a small, cryptic smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couple of months ago I ended up in the ER for a bad intestinal infection. They gave me a couple doses of morphine while I was there, and I was in heaven. Good shit, I'm telling you, but not as good as Dilaudid. Man, that stuff is awesome. Anyways, that was my inspiration for this chapter. It's an inherently dangerous job they're training for. And hey, two chapters in a row with Jaune in it! Actually, he's kinda in Friday's as well, huh… Odd how that worked out… IT'S JAUNE WEEK! Don't forget to pick up your buttons that say "I'm Tired Of Being A Damsel In Distress".
> 
> Sooo… Grimm spiders. Yeah. Gonna give myself nightmares one of these days…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	68. Chapter 68

"I'm impressed," Pyrrha stated softly from where she perched next to Blake. "She took in with her more of a pile than I was expecting."

"True, I didn't imagine her to actually _want_ to clothes-shop," Blake murmured, resting her head on the redhead's shoulder. They were sitting on a bench in front of the changing rooms of a clothing store known for mostly contemporary designs.

"Okay, you guys ready for the first outfit?" they heard from behind a stall door.

"Indeed!"

"Bring it on, little rose!"

The door opened to reveal their petite girlfriend, though she stayed inside the cubicle itself. They were expecting to see one of the jeans or hoodie outfits that the brunette had picked out, not…

"What do you think, too much?" Ruby asked coyly, though she was blushing quite a bit.

Both Blake and Pyrrha were definitely outshining their girlfriend's blush, however, as they stared slack-jawed at the rather skimpy negligee that was wrapped around Ruby. It covered enough but left plenty to the imagination, particularly her toned abs and muscled limbs.

And then, of course, she spun in place, showing off her _very_ defined rear end.

"Pyrrha?"

"...Yes, Blake?"

"Do I have a nosebleed?"

Without tearing her gaze off of the now-giggling brunette, Pyrrha shook her head slowly. "No, dear, I'm sure that's just drool."

"Oh. Of course."

"Yeah, maybe too much," the brunette finally snickered, closing the door and permitting her girlfriends to regain some semblance of sensibility once more.

"How can she possibly affect us that much?" Pyrrha asked, giving herself a shake to dispel the lingering cobwebs.

"To be fair, you affect me just as strongly," Blake laughed lightly. "All it takes is one peek at that magnificent bosom of yours…"

The redhead, whose face was just returning to normal, flushed once more from her cheeks to the back of her neck. "Er… yes… Well, so long as we're being… truthful, I do rather enjoy your… ahem… posterior."

The Cat Faunus blushed as well to match. "Mmm. Er… thank you."

"You two are always so adorable," Ruby snickered loudly from the changing room. "Can you not honestly say 'boobs' or 'ass' while in public?"

"I could," Pyrrha defended weakly. "I just… choose not to…"

"Mmm." Blake didn't bother with a denial, knowing the effort would be fruitless.

" _Sooo cute_ ," the brunette sang out. "Okay, let's try this one out…"

Both of the other girls opened their mouths to warn their girlfriend against further teasing, but the door was already flung open, Ruby standing there with hands on her hips.

"Well, that one is actually quite nice," Blake murmured.

"It is a very nice robe," Pyrrha agreed. "Silk?"

"Yep!" Ruby spun once more to face the rear wall, the ends of the short red robe flaring out. "Yeah, I never really owned anything like this before… Or this…"

While turned, she let the robe slip off her shoulders, revealing her backside. Under that robe, she had donned nothing but an incredibly skimpy g-string.

With an inelegant _squawk_ , Pyrrha fell backward off of the bench.

"Ruby, you broke our fluffy fox," Blake admonished breathlessly. "Er… would you like some help in there?"

"Nope, I'm good!" the brunette giggled merrily, closing the door once again.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep, there's not much room in here anyways…"

"I am certain we could make do," Pyrrha moaned from the floor.

"We have fit in tighter spaces," Blake conceded.

"Thanks for the thought, guys, but I'm fine… Yep, just me and my naked little body will try to fit into some more skimpy clothes…"

"I'm giving her another minute," Blake growled heatedly. "Then I'm breaking down the door."

"Now, kitty cat," Pyrrha huffed out as she struggled back into her seat. "There's no need for violence."

"But-"

"Besides which," the redhead grinned, wiggling her fingers. "I can just take the hinges apart."

"No semblance use!" Ruby called out. "That's cheating!"

* * *

"I don't know what her problem was," Ruby huffed while standing in line. She shot a glare over at the older female store employee, who was returning the look with interest.

"Well, you _were_ half-naked," Blake murmured in amusement.

"But it's not like there are any kids around!" the brunette exclaimed mutedly.

"Yes, love."

"'Tone it down' my ass… She's just jealous of my gorgeous girlfriends."

"Yes, I'm sure those were her exact thoughts. Speaking of your… ass…"

"Yay, got you to say 'ass' in public!" Ruby cheered quietly.

"That is not as much of an accomplishment as you'd like to think it is. In any case, did you get enough underwear that fits you now?"

The brunette nodded happily. "Yep, some more sporty ones, and lots of lacy ones. Top and bottoms."

"Mmm." Blake glanced over at the large pile contained with her girlfriend's arms. "All red and black?"

"Yep!"

"Well, those do look good on you."

"And off of me?"

"Don't push your luck, little rose…"

Ruby stuck out her tongue in response, which caused the Cat Faunus to quirk an eyebrow.

"Promises, promises," Blake smirked.

Just then Pyrrha nonchalantly slid into line, her face somewhat flushed still. "So, I reassembled the door once more," she stated bashfully.

Ruby snorted humorously but then noticed something in the redhead's hands. "Oooh, what didja get, fluffy fox?"

"Er, yes… some… lingerie caught my eye."

"Well, I'm sure it'll catch our eye as well," the brunette leered.

Off to the side, the salesperson, still watching them like a hawk, cleared her throat pointedly.

"Irritating old bat," Ruby grumbled under her breath.

* * *

Once out of the store and clutching bags of their new purchases, the three of them meandered their way towards the airship back to Beacon.

"Hey, can we stop by the bakery?" Ruby asked excitedly, swinging her bags from one hand while clasping Pyrrha's in the other.

"I don't see why not," Blake mused from the other side. She was carrying Pyrrha's small bag simply so that she could hold hands with the redhead as well.

"Yay! I'm gonna treat you guys to a cookie!"

"Thank you, little rose," Pyrrha chuckled warmly.

The three paused at a musical ringing tone.

"Oh, that's mine!" Ruby chirped, letting go of her tall girlfriend's hand after giving it a quick squeeze. She dug her scroll out and answered it.

"Hey, Jaune!" she greeted her friend cheerfully. "What's up? You usually don't call me, anything wrong?"

"Hey Ruby, not exactly, I just…" Jaune peered out from the scroll. "Um, are your girlfriends there?"

"Of course," the brunette grinned, strolling alongside the others still. "Where else would they be?"

"I know, attached to your hip as usual," the blond chuckled half-heartedly. "Well, I suppose I'll just have to endure the ribbing…"

"Now Jaune, you know I would not tease you," Pyrrha piped up.

"I might," Blake murmured, earning her a good-natured smack on her arm.

"Behave," the redhead whispered.

"So what's up, then?" Ruby prompted once more. They were outside the bakery now, standing by the patio edged with a grass lawn and some outdoor table settings.

"Right," Jaune sighed, embarrassment bleeding through the scroll connection. "So… I need some advice."

"Okaaay," Ruby drawled hesitantly. "About… what?"

"Relationships."

The brunette gaped at her scroll incredulously. "Seriously? Why me?"

"Because everyone I talk to says you're the expert now!"

"Huh." Ruby looked over at her girlfriends, the both of them trying to stifle their hilarity. She grinned and put one foot up on a chair, throwing her head back and striking a heroic pose. "Well, I am at that."

"Oh, really?" Pyrrha snickered, sneaking up behind the posturing brunette. With a lunge, the redhead had Ruby tackled to the ground and pinned beneath her, tickling mercilessly.

"Ah-hahaha, n- no, P- Pyrrha, no fair!" Ruby protested in between helpless laughs.

" _Someone's_ been a little full of themselves lately," Pyrrha pronounced, not letting up in the slightest.

"B- Blake!" the brunette pleaded breathlessly from the grass where she lay, fruitlessly squirming. "G- Get your girlfriend off of me! I have to answer Janue!"

Blake had sat their bags down and was lounging on one of the chairs, her legs crossed at the knee and foot bouncing lazily. "She's your girlfriend too," she snickered. "You knew what you were getting into here."

"HEY!" Jaune's voice shouted from the scroll now lying under the table. "Can you guys not be gay for like two seconds?"

Giggling, the redhead rolled off of her conquered brunette lover and grabbed hold of the scroll. "Nope, not happening!" she replied cheerfully.

"Gimme that," Ruby laughed, swiping her scroll back. "Go order your cookies, I'll join you in a second."

"Love you, little rose," Pyrrha grinned, giving her a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Love you too, fluffy fox," the brunette grinned back from where she now sprawled out on the grass.

Blake and Pyrrha both laughed once more at Jaune's pained groan. "Oh my Oum you guys…"

Soon enough, Ruby plopped herself down next to the others at an inside table, taking the unoccupied chair not laden with shopping bags. "Whew, okay then…"

"You still need to order, love," Pyrrha pointed out amusedly.

"Right! Right, I knew that…"

Ruby bounced back up and raced over to the counter, picking out a cookie and paying for the three of them. Once she was back with her fudge-iced double-chocolate chip monstrosity, she gave her girlfriends a look-over.

"Really, Blake? A sugar cookie?"

"I like sugar cookies," the Cat Faunus mumbled around her bite.

"How about you, fluffy fox?"

"White chocolate macadamia," Pyrrha announced proudly.

"Oooh, nice one…"

"So?" the redhead prompted curiously. "Who is it my partner has his eye on?"

" _Wellll…_ You guys know that transfer student from Haven, the cute girl with mint-green hair?"

"Oh!" Blake exclaimed. "Er… Emerald, yes?"

"That's the one! Anyways… her."

"Mmm." The Cat Faunus took another nibble from her large sugar cookie. "And what advice did you give him?"

"Ugh," Ruby groaned. "I dunno what all he expected, all I could tell him was to just follow his heart. Oh, and for the love of Oum, not to try serenading her."

"Yes, that advice alone is worth its weight in gold," Pyrrha agreed.

"Poor Weiss," Blake murmured. All three girls shared a shudder at the memory.

"So, you're Beacon's great relationship advisor now, hmm?" The redhead had a humorous twinkle in her bright green eyes as she took another large bite from her cookie.

Ruby nodded, giggling as she swallowed her own bite. "Apparently. Maybe I should charge."

"Somehow I do not believe your earnings would surpass those of Grimm bounties."

"No?"

"Indeed. I believe the saying is… Don't quit your day job."

"Harsh words, fluffy fox," Ruby snickered good-naturedly. "Harsh words."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Ruby tickling scene was inspired by a comic posted by lonelybus on tumblr. Credit for the clothes shopping and teasing idea goes to readers Jack Inqu and Nicodemus Cain. And yes, this makes the second potentially hetero relationship. Renora was lonely as the only token one, figured we could have Topaz join them peripherally (place your bets…). Originally I had, through earlier suggestions, intended to pair Jaune up with Fox, but there's only so much gay one story can contain…
> 
> Stay shiny!


	69. Chapter 69

"There's no way," Yang scoffed derisively. "You're delusional."

"Pfft," Nora retorted. "I stand by what I said, blondie."

"Nora, I've seen how much you can press, and I _know_ it's not as much as what I can."

"Well, sure, but for the weight ratio, I have you beat."

The blonde blinked her eyes uncertainly. "What does that even _mean_?"

Blake snorted out a soft laugh as she cradled her pool cue. _A more volatile yet close friendship I've never seen…_

The raven-haired girl tuned out the two bickering friends to look over at her brunette lover. Or rather, her rather prominent (and deliciously tight, if she might say so herself) posterior while bent over the pool table in front of her in order to make her shot.

Teams RWBY and JNPR had taken some time off for a friendly game of team versus team pool in downtown Vale. It was a fun, relaxing way to spend their Saturday evening, even if they did let Blake only take one shot on each of her turns.

 _Not my fault I clearly surpass everyone's skill level in pool_ , she smirked to herself.

" _Blaaakeeey_ ," she heard her petite girlfriend whine just then.

"Mmm?"

"Pyrrha's makin' bedroom eyes at me. Get her to stop."

The Cat Faunus glanced up at the tall redhead who was standing directly in Ruby's line of sight. Right now, however, she had her hands clasped behind her back and wore the most contrived look of innocence on her face that she'd ever seen.

Grinning, Blake eased herself off of her stool and sauntered around to stand between Pyrrha and the pool table.

"Why, my dearest fluffy little fox," she murmured. "Are you trying to cheat by distracting our girlfriend?"

"Not at all," the redhead smirked. "If I were to attempt that, I'd be doing this…"

Without warning, Pyrrha's muscular arms wrapped around the Cat Faunus and she pressed her lips against her own. Blake moaned uncontrollably as the taller girl took control of the kiss, even going so far as to dip her back slightly. She eagerly reciprocated, reaching up to link her hands behind the redhead's neck and enjoying the feel of their tongues dancing together.

The raven-haired girl was broken from her reverie by a loud _clack_ from behind her, followed by Nora's _whoop_.

"Scratch!"

Blake stepped out from her girlfriend's embrace, who had the grace to look slightly chagrined through her pleased grin.

"You… You…." she sputtered.

"Sorry, sweetie," Pyrrha giggled, staring at the floor. "Er… all's fair in love and pool?"

"I don't think that's how it goes," Ruby pouted from behind.

Blake leveled a finger at the redhead. "It's war, and that's exactly what this now is."

Still grinning, Pyrrha's mouth shot forward to capture the extended finger, giving it a quick lick.

"Bring it on," she replied in a sultry tone.

Knowing she now sported an even bigger blush than before, Blake simply spun on her heel and stalked off towards her team's side of the table.

"How're we gonna get back at her?" Ruby whispered eagerly.

"Oh, I have an idea…"

Once it was Pyrrha's turn, Blake calmly removed her bow from her ears, giving them a flicker. The redhead eyed her curiously from where she bent over the pool table, but then her emerald eyes widened as the Cat Faunus slowly wound the ribbon around each wrist. Pyrrha's lips parted, eyes dilated, and her chest began heaving with quick pants. Blake finally gave the ribbon a snap outwards when her wrists were securely bound.

The redhead took that moment, perhaps involuntarily, to make her shot. Rather, she fell forward onto the pool table, flat on her face as her supporting arm gave out, the cue careening off to the side.

"Um, yeah, kinda missed the ball there, Pyrrha," Jaune commented mildly.

"Sorry," the redhead gasped, standing upright. Her face and neck, in fact all the way down her chest to the edge of her white tank top, were flushed so brightly she matched her hair. "Er… I need to… that is… I'll be right back."

She dashed off in the direction of the pub's restroom without a backwards glance.

While Blake wore a very self-satisfied smirk, and Ruby, Yang, and Nora were all laughing so hard they were having trouble standing upright, the others at the table just looked a bit perplexed.

"What just happened?" Jaune asked.

"Don't worry about it," Ruby wheezed, giving Blake a quick one-armed hug. "Um, I'm just gonna… make sure she's okay."

"Don't take too long," the raven-haired girl whispered.

"Only as long as she needs," the brunette giggled in reply before shooting off after Pyrrha.

Before it was Ruby's turn again, the pair returned to join them once more. Ruby had an air about her that portrayed just how very pleased with herself she now was, and Pyrrha sported a rather goofy smile of her own. By now Weiss had picked up what was going on, over Yang and Nora's renewed hilarity, and slipped off of her barstool in outrage.

"Did you two just have a booty call in that bathroom?" she half-shouted.

That pretty much set everyone off, save for Jaune and Ren who, while both chuckling mildly, still looked a bit embarrassed. And, of course, Pyrrha, who now had yet another blush on her face.

"Fluffy fox is gonna pass out if she keeps blushing like that," Ruby snickered quietly beside Blake.

When Ruby went to take her turn, though, the redhead decided to continue her campaign. She sat atop a stool with her legs crossed at the knee, and ever so slowly rubbed her thighs together, up and down beneath her rather short jean skirt, with a coy look on her face.

The brunette tried to ignore her, she truly did, but when she took her shot the white ball went straight into the side pocket.

Pyrrha smirked widely as she hopped off her stool to take her turn.

"Ruby," the raven-haired girl murmured to the disgruntled brunette next to her.

"Yeah?"

"Which fingers did you use?"

"Which…? Oh. Left hand, index and middle."

"Mmm."

Blake took hold of the hand in question, extended Ruby's fingers, and inserted them into her mouth, thoroughly cleaning them.

The redhead dropped her pool stick on the table and raised her hands, walking away. "I'm done," she stated firmly.

Ruby removed her hand as the two of them leaned against each other, giggling merrily. "Do you concede the war, fluffy fox?" Blake chuckled her query.

"Yes, kitty cat, yes I do."

"You three," Weiss sighed in exasperation, though the undercurrent of fondness was undeniable. "We just can't take you anywhere in public, can we?"

"Oh, like you're any better with my sister," Ruby chortled. "Fifteen minutes to try an outfit on? Really?"

Now it was Weiss' turn to blush brightly as she looked away. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she stated loftily over the rest of the group's snickers.

"Her zipper got stuck," Yang defended with a straight face.

"And, of course, you had to help," Blake deadpanned to her partner.

"It seemed the courtly thing to do."

"Naturally."

"Oh, hush, both of you," Weiss broke in, unable to keep the beginnings of a grin from forming.

By the end of the evening, the group broke apart, some heading back to Beacon and some to enjoy more of the nightlife. Weiss had decided to treat Yang to a spa the next day and booked the two of them a room at the attached hotel that night, which left the three girls in sole possession of their dorm room.

"So, then," Blake murmured as she and her girlfriends walked back towards the airbus to take them up the cliff. "We should discuss the conditions of our fluffy fox's defeat."

"Conditions?" Pyrrha protested weakly. "I do not recall agreeing to any such thing!"

"It's called an unconditional surrender," Ruby snickered, her arms around each of her lovers. "And I think I know what kitty cat has in mind."

"Mmm."

The redhead peered over at her, emerald eyes ever so slightly apprehensive. "Er… what was it? That you had in mind, that is?" she prompted anxiously.

"Well," Blake purred. "I think our naughty little fluffy fox needs to be all tied up and at our mercy. What do you think, little rose?"

"I think," Ruby smirked, "that has the sounds of a _very_ enjoyable evening, kitty cat."

Pyrrha's only response was a particularly needy whine, which caused peals of laughter to issue from her lover's lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to think of something appropriate for chapter 69. 'Cause I'm immature like that. Obviously, much of the impact of Blake's little trick with her ribbon will be lost on those who haven't read A Thorny Bind, but I think you might still get the idea.
> 
> I've had some folk ask how I come up with stuff for each chapter, outside of suggestions from readers. This one came to me while I was doing my morning exercise walk. No real prompt, just my brain idly meandering… playing pool, the girls teasing each other mercilessly… and there we go, the chapter just kinda unfurls in my head. Listening to Tegan and Sara on my playlist had nothing to do with it, I swear.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	70. Chapter 70

"So we're gonna do the Second Stage soon, right?" Ruby murmured from where she sat next to Blake. Pyrrha was on the other side of the brunette, the three of them catching up on some studying before their planned activity later.

"Soon," Blake agreed quietly, not looking up from her book. "I want it to be special."

"It will be, kitty cat," Pyrrha interjected warmly.

"Well… I intend for it to be more special than usual." Blake frowned slightly at her uncharacteristically awkward verbiage. "Just be patient, please."

"I can be patient," Ruby proclaimed loftily. Her words were met by several incredulous snickers, the loudest from across the room.

"Hey! I can be when I wanna be!"

" _Suuure_ you can, Rubes," her big sister chuckled indulgently.

The brunette in question stuck her tongue out at her sister and partner before turning back towards her girlfriends. "Really, I'm not gonna rush you any, Blakey. Whenever you're ready."

"Absolutely," Pyrrha agreed softly, the scratches from her pencil on paper unceasing.

"Mmm." Blake had a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Thank you both."

"So, can I ask a question?" Weiss spoke up hesitantly, setting her own textbook aside. Yang was the only one not taking advantage of the study time as, miraculously enough, she'd managed to catch up with everything already. A feat which everyone else found to be dubious at best, but her platinum-haired girlfriend had decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. Hence Yang's current activity of watching videos on her scroll while her head rested on Weiss' lap.

"Certainly," Blake responded, fairly sure this was directed at her. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, this, er… Second Mark…"

"It's the Second Stage of the Mark," Blake corrected gently.

"Yes… So this is an upgrade on the one you all have now?" The heiress blushed slightly as she shook her head. "I apologize if I'm messing up the terminology, or if this comes off as, I don't know… disrespectful…"

The Cat Faunus set her book down on her lap and gave her friend a warm smile from across the room. "Weiss, you have come such a long way from when we first met. I know you're trying, both to accept and to understand, and you have got to know how much this means to me."

Weiss smiled slightly and looked down at her hands. "I _am_ trying," she agreed softly.

"I know," Blake nodded. "And I'm happy to answer any questions about anything you might have, really. I don't have a problem talking about this either. Er…" She abruptly glanced aside at her girlfriends. "You don't have a problem with my discussing this, do you, my loves?"

"Nope, no worries here!" Ruby chirped, flipping through her textbook to find a particular reference for her Dust Mechanics class.

"Page sixty-four, little rose," Pyrrha murmured, knowing what section of her research paper she was on. "And no, I do not mind at all, either."

The raven-haired girl nodded happily, reaching across to give the both of them a quick squeeze. "So yes, Weiss, in layman's terms this is a bit of an upgrade. Consider the First Stage like dating, where you are trying to get to know someone to determine if you actually like them, or in this case, find them as potential Mating material."

"Testing the waters," Yang mused, her scroll discarded at her side as she listened in as well, enraptured with the explanation so far.

"Precisely. Now the Second Stage, that's a little more permanent, meaning it won't fade unless it is consciously broken. You could consider that like an engagement."

"I see," Weiss murmured. "And is the physical... Mark… the same?"

"No, it's different, but the manifestation is unique for each Mating."

Yang, however, had sat upright at what she'd picked up on earlier. "Wait, so… So this is like the step right before getting married? Are you guys…?"

"Not exactly," Blake smiled, waving off the blonde's concern.

"I mean, we could," Ruby conceded idly.

"Ruby!" her blonde sister protested. "Aren't you guys… I mean, you, aren't you a little young for that kinda step?"

The brunette sighed good-naturedly and set her book and papers down. "Yang, we're not getting married anytime soon. Yes, maybe we're a little young. But we know how we feel about each other, and that's not gonna change any. And we're not gonna think about anything more permanent until we're out of Beacon, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Yang muttered abashedly. "Sorry, I just… Yeah. I know you guys are really together and all, I just hadn't really thought of, y'know… the future."

"We have," Pyrrha assured her gently. "And we're not in any rush, truly."

"Okay," the blonde said again, clearing her throat. Weiss gave her a side-armed hug, which made her smile. "So this Second Mark, it's like gettin' engaged? How is it different from the one you have now?"

"Like I said, it will stay in place," Blake stated. "It will also be more decisively evident to the Faunus we come across that we are, in fact, Mated. And it will be slightly easier for us to pick up on each other's feelings and moods, and to locate one another. As I understand it, even when not concentrating, we will feel a slight, er… _tug_ towards each other."

"That actually sound rather… cool." Weiss blushed lightly once more, this time at her colloquialism. "Thank you for including us in this, I'm… Well, I'm very happy for the three of you, to be able to experience it."

"Yeah, us too," Ruby giggled lightly before going to pick up her book. As she did so, however, she glanced at the time. "Oh, shoot! We have, like, fifteen minutes before we have to leave!"

"Then we should be getting ready," Pyrrha sighed as she stretched her long limbs out. As she did so, her white tee shirt rode up on her, exposing her abdomen, and her brunette girlfriend was quick to capitalize on the sudden weakness by lunging forward and blowing a rather loud raspberry on the redhead's stomach.

Pyrrha let out a _shriek_ as she flailed to the side, desperately trying to push the impish petite girl away from her. "Blake, help!"

Laughing, the Cat Faunus snagged Ruby around the waist and hauled her back. "Little rose, you're the one who wants to go to this weapon show."

"Oh, fine," Ruby pouted, reluctantly allowing her prey to escape. "We'll continue this later, fluffy fox."

"Yes, we shall," Pyrrha conceded with a smirk. "When I am more prepared for you."

"Nobody ever expects the surprise raspberry attack," Ruby giggled unrepentantly as she bounced off of the bed and dove for her dresser. She quickly slipped her shorts off and began to pull on her jeans, wiggling them over her hips.

Both Blake and Pyrrha paused in their preparations, enchanted by the view.

"Gods, you guys, get a room!" Yang laughed, tossing a pillow at their direction. "Stop ogling my sister in front of me!"

"Well then, turn around so I can properly ogle," Blake smirked, tossing the pillow back without tearing her gaze away. It managed to unerringly hit Yang right in the face.

"I'm covered, sheesh!" Ruby exclaimed, grabbing her red hoodie and tugging it over her head. She shook her crimson-tipped hair out as she grabbed her athletic shoes. "You guys ready?"

"Almost," Blake replied levelly, slipping her boots on from where they lay under the bed.

"I am, yes," Pyrrha smiled as she stood up, sandals in place, and adjusted her tee shirt over her skintight jeans. The Cat Faunus was the only one not in jeans, having decided to wear her usual black skirt and purple blouse ensemble.

"Some might think you were a bit eager, little rose," Blake teased with a small grin.

"I am, I am!" Ruby squealed ecstatically, hopping up and down in place. "I'm just so happy you guys are going with me this year!"

"So am I," Yang chuckled. "At least I don't have to be dragged to another one of these."

"That was me that got stuck with her last year, dear," Weiss murmured.

"Oh, yeah," the blonde grinned. "Still owe you for that."

The platinum-haired girl quirked an eyebrow primly. "We can discuss that later while our roommates are out."

" _Ahhh,_ we're leaving, we're leaving!" Ruby exclaimed, grabbing hold of both of her girlfriends and tugging them out the door behind her.

"We shall message you before we return!" Pyrrha called out merrily over her shoulder.

Neither Ruby nor Pyrrha noticed the knowing grin that Blake shared with the remaining two in the room just before they closed the door behind them.

* * *

The three of them walked through the doors of the Valesian Convention Center, Ruby skipping along in the middle while holding onto her girlfriends. A large banner overhead stretched from each side of the massive lobby, proclaiming this to be the 70th Vale Weapons Expo.

"...And they're supposed to have even _more_ cool exhibits for the seventieth anniversary," Ruby continued in the non-stop monologue that she'd been running with ever since they'd set foot off of the airbus from Beacon. "It's gonna be so _sweet_! Oh, hey, I can see Century Arms has a booth set up again, I hope they're better this year, the last one was kinda disappointing… And there's Armalite, I like their actuators, maybe they finally got one big enough to fit inside my sweetheart…"

Blake and Pyrrha shared a fond smile over the bobbing head of their exuberant girlfriend. The redhead showed their three tickets to the doorman, who gave her a quick double-take before accepting them.

"Is this the first time you've been to one of these without doing a demonstration?" Blake asked curiously. Ruby paused in her chatter at the question, craning her neck up to regard the leggy redhead, who was nodding genially.

"Yes, indeed, I'm well acquainted with these types of shows, but never in just a… casual manner." She smiled at the others brightly. "I am looking forward to this."

"And I'm so happy you're both with me!" Ruby squealed once more, pulling them both in for a tight hug. It was interrupted, however, by her excited shout. "OH MY OUM, THEY'RE HERE!"

"Er, who is here, little rose?" Blake asked, shaking her head to dispel the ringing.

"Savage Arms! They've been doing this really awesome stuff with high-velocity ranged weaponry with Dust-infused caseless ammunition that takes advantage of Aura enhancement and-"

Evidently unable to sustain her rapid exclamation any further, Ruby simply disappeared in a flurry of rose petals.

"Mmm." Blake held a petal up bemusedly, rubbing it in between her fingers. "I believe she was looking in that direction?"

"I believe you are correct, kitty cat," Pyrrha grinned, extending her arm. "Shall we?"

"We shall," the raven-haired girl grinned back.

Before they took more than a couple of steps, however, Ruby appeared before them again, vibrating in place and with her silver eyes shining excitedly.

"C'mon, this way!"

The small brunette grabbed hold of both of her girlfriends and dragged them behind her at a rapid pace, not quite breaking the sound barrier, but if Pyrrha was any judge of such things, it was rather close.

* * *

"I think perhaps we have been training in the wrong manner," Pyrrha panted lightly from where she slumped against the wall, her rear on the floor.

"You may have the right of it," Blake murmured, her head propped on the redhead's shoulder. The both of them were rather worn out and covered in sweat from trying to keep up with their overly-enthusiastic girlfriend.

"I mean, endurance alone doesn't seem to be enough here."

"No, it's the agility from dodging others as well."

Pyrrha chuckled softly. "I think if we were to combine my endurance with your agility, we might have stood a chance."

"Perhaps," Blake giggled, pressing a kiss into her shoulder. Pyrrha smiled and reached across, uncaring of their sweaty state to tip the raven-haired girl's chin up with her fingers. Their lips met in a brief though sweet kiss.

"The things we do for love," Pyrrha murmured against her girlfriend's lips.

"Indeed," Blake giggled once more.

Just then an explosion of rose petals showered them, announcing the sudden arrival of their brunette lover. They looked up to spy Ruby braced against the wall, having skidded to a stop just in time.

"Whew, that was close!" she laughed merrily. "Don't need a concussion this time, been there, done that!" She looked down at her weary girlfriends, and her features slowly dropped into a chagrined frown. "Oh… I'm… I'm sorry, guys…"

"Whatever are you sorry for, love?" Pyrrha questioned.

Ruby plopped herself down in front of them cross-legged with her head hung down low. "I, um.. I get a little overexcited at these things. I wore you both out, didn't I?"

"Only a little bit," Pyrrha smiled. "We're just taking a break to rest."

"And you shouldn't apologize for enjoying these events," Blake interjected with a smile of her own. "This is part of who you are."

"And part of what we love about you," Pyrrha added.

Ruby grinned, her mood improved, and she wiggled around so that she was ensconced in between the two of them, all cuddled up together.

"I love you guys," the brunette sighed happily.

Both Pyrrha and Blake pressed simultaneous kisses onto her cheek, causing the brunette to giggle.

"In any case," Blake continued in a murmur, "it's not like we can ever lose you."

"True enough," Pyrrha agreed, thinking on how easy it was to locate each of her lovers now through the Mark.

"Sooo…" Ruby drawled after a few minutes of contended cuddling. "Ready to hit the rest of the exhibits?"

Pyrrha shared a grin with her raven-haired girlfriend. "Absolutely."

Ruby leapt to her feet but then held her hands out. "Wait! We have to do a triple-kiss first!"

Laughing lightly, the redhead leaned in towards Blake who was amusedly rolling her eyes. This was something new Ruby had dreamt up, the three of them joining their lips together at the same time so that they could all share a kiss. It was plenty clumsy, and their noses tended to get in the way, but she knew Blake secretly found it to be just as sweet as she did.

Of course, this time was no more graceful than any other time, and the three of them dissolved into giggles after only a moment.

"Okay, we need to work on that,' Ruby snickered. She helped the others up, giving them a wide smile. "Ready?"

"Lead on, little rose," Blake stated fondly.

* * *

The three of them slowly walked together towards the dorms after disembarking from the airbus. All of them were tired, but not to the point of exhaustion, having immensely enjoyed the day spending time together.

At the doorway, however, Blake pulled them to a halt.

"Could the two of you do me a favor?" she asked quietly, her amber eyes unreadable.

It was almost second nature by now for Pyrrha to send just a small tendril of her aura along their bond to check on one of her girlfriend's mood, but what she received from the Cat Faunus puzzled her slightly.

_Eagerness. Anticipation. Love. Joy. Secrecy._

Blake immediately reached out with her forefinger and gently bopped the redhead on her nose. "Stop that," the raven-haired girl chided softly.

"Sorry," Pyrrha replied with a wry grin. "But yes, what was it you needed?"

"Can you both go to the cafeteria and see if they have any cookies left over from dinner? Bring back a small plate?"

"Pfft, don't need to ask me twice," Ruby giggled, grabbing the redhead by the hand. "C'mon, fluffy fox, our kitty cat requires cookies!"

"And we are just the valiant heroes to undertake such a quest!" Pyrrha laughed. She gave Blake a wink as she allowed the shorter girl to drag them off towards the food hall.

They did indeed have some of the brunette's favorite delicacies left, and as they meandered their way back to their room, Ruby couldn't help herself but snack on a couple.

"What do you suppose she's planning?" the taller girl asked musingly.

Ruby swallowed her bite before replying. "Knowing Blakey, something awesome. I like her surprises."

"Hmm, I suppose I do too," Pyrrha grinned. "Never used to be one for such things."

"The anticipation is half the fun!" the brunette giggled.

"I did pick up on some of that from her…"

"Yeah, figured you did," Ruby replied with a bashful smile. "I waited for you to check before I did the same so she wouldn't notice me looking."

Pyrrha paused, an incredulous half-smile on her face. "Ruby Rose, you conniving little girl… Leave it to you to figure out a way to be devious with our bond!"

Giggling once more, Ruby lifted up onto her tiptoes to give the redhead a long, sweet kiss. "But you still love me," she whispered impishly.

"That's a given," she murmured in reply. "Nothing would change that."

Ruby let out a happy little sigh as she wrapped the other girl in a one-armed hug, plate of cookies still balanced in one hand. They made their way up and to their door, but stopped there.

"Should we knock?" Pyrrha questioned softly.

The brunette shrugged, and in lieu of a reply, rapped a few times on the door. At the beckoning call from the third member of their relationship, the two of them pushed the door open and proceeded into the room.

Only to stop just inside the entrance, jaws agape, as the door slowly swung shut behind them.

The lights were off, but there was plenty of soft illumination cast by numerous candles scattered throughout the room on shelves and desks and dressers. Blake sat on the bed, covers pulled back, wearing one of her slinky black dresses and with her ears unbound. Her bare feet were tucked up under her as she sat, back straight and hands clasped lightly in her lap.

The Cat Faunus graced them both with a small smile. "I put your robes out for you," she said softly, gesturing to the end of the bed. Lying there was the red silk robe that Ruby had purchased recently, as well as the linen one that Pyrrha would sometimes use, also in red.

On the desk next to their bed rested a bottle of wine with three glasses already poured.

"Wow, Blakey," the brunette breathed. "This is… really nice…"

"What's the occasion, kitty cat?" Pyrrha asked as she began to disrobe. "And are we alone for some time, I'm assuming?"

"We have the room to ourselves for the evening," Blake replied quietly, her amber eyes glowing in the candlelight. "Yang and Weiss helped set this up for me while we were gone. And as for the occasion…" She offered them a wide, loving smile. "I thought perhaps we could do the Second Stage tonight."

Ruby had stripped off her clothes by this point, pulling her short robe on and crawling over after resting the plate of cookies on the desk next to the drinks. "You are so adorable," the brunette murmured before giving the Cat Faunus a soft kiss. "Setting all this up… Wine and cookies, my kinda fancy night!"

"I figured that," Blake giggled, holding her hand out to bring Pyrrha in close as the redhead crawled onto the bed next. She gave the redhead a quick kiss before pulling back, looking at the two of them with calm resolve. "Would you like to do it first?"

"Definitely," Pyrrha replied without hesitation.

Ruby nodded her agreement. "Been waiting for this, love. Let's do it."

"Alright then," Blake murmured, pulling her feet around in order to sit cross-legged. "Ruby, how about we begin with you?"

The petite girl eagerly turned and sat herself down on Blake's lap, resting against her and leaning into the offered hug. Pyrrha scooted around behind them, wrapping her own arms around the two women who made her heart complete in every way imaginable.

The raven-haired girl slowly pulled the sleeves down on Ruby's robe until her shoulders were bare. The fading purplish bruise was still very evident, even if the teeth imprints had disappeared by that point. Pyrrha felt against her chest as Blake sighed happily before leaning over and resting her lips against the Mark.

Ruby gave a pleased little _hum_ as Blake worked her lips and tongue against the spot on her shoulder, not biting, but pushing every ounce of her love, affection, _adoration_ into the shorter girl, along with her aura in a very specific way. Soon enough Ruby's soft noise turned into a gasp.

"Are you okay?" Pyrrha asked worriedly.

"Yeah, absolutely, just… kinda surprised me, I felt it, like, I dunno…" The brunette seemed to be grasping for words to describe the sensation and eventually came up blank. "It's really nice," she finished lamely.

Blake picked her head up, eyeing her handiwork with satisfaction. The bruise was fading rapidly now, but eventually, it should be replaced by something that would have deep meaning for the three of them. Pyrrha knew the raven-haired girl was slightly frustrated about the lack of certainty as to what form it would take, but they would see soon enough.

Giving Ruby a little push off of her lap, Blake turned to face the redhead. "Your turn, fluffy fox," she said with a small grin.

Pyrrha nodded, giving her lover another quick kiss before turning around and sitting with her long legs tucked under her. Blake rose up to her knees, pressing her soft bosom against Pyrrha's shoulder blades and wrapping her arms around in a gentle, loving hug. And then the redhead felt a smaller set of arms reaching around to envelop them both, much as Pyrrha had done before.

She felt Blake slip her sleeves down until her shoulders were exposed, and then felt the soft, warm lips against her skin, slightly roughened tongue working in lazy circles. Pyrrha couldn't help but let a pleased moan escape from her own lips.

And then she felt it, and soon understood why it was Ruby couldn't seem to describe the sensation.

It was like a warm kiss underneath the skin of her shoulder, but one that spread throughout her body, though perhaps more like a hug, or a cool breath that ghosted through her system, calming and exciting and reassuring her at the same time. It was relaxing and exhilarating all at once.

"Oh my goodness," she breathed.

"Right?" Pyrrha could hear the smirk in Ruby's voice, but before she could retort the sensation had faded to only a faint memory.

After a few kisses and hugs, the three of them ended up lying together, just cuddling in the middle of the bed. Pyrrha was on her back, with Ruby sprawled across her torso and Blake on the same side but with her arms draped across them both. Pyrrha had an arm around each of them, running her fingers through red-tipped brown hair and scratching lightly at the base of Blake's Faunus ears.

"So, how long should it take?" Ruby murmured drowsily.

"Well…" Blake leaned up, pulling the shoulder of the brunette's robe back again. "Mmm. Sooner than I expected…"

"What, what is it?" Ruby asked excitedly, all traces of sleepiness gone. "What does it look like?"

"It's still forming," the raven-haired girl stated softly, running her finger along Ruby's left shoulder. "It does indeed look like a tattoo… Right now it's an inverted triangle, about two inches on each side, but I believe it will form more at the points."

"Well, a triangle certainly makes sense," Pyrrha murmured, craning her neck to see what Blake was looking at. It was just as the Faunus girl had described, very faint lines but firming up even as she watched. "There are three of us, equally joined…"

"I wanna see!" Ruby chirped, wriggling around until she was alongside Pyrrha. "Fluffy fox, roll over!"

"Yes, love," Pyrrha laughed indulgently, rolling onto her right side to face Blake.

As the petite girl made soft cooing noises from behind her, Pyrrha rested her hand alongside Blake's cheek, rubbing softly with her thumb. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you as well," the Cat Faunus replied with a wide, pleased smile. She leaned in and pressed her lips against her own, quickly deepening the kiss and allowing their tongues to dance alongside each other.

Pyrrha was cognizant of Blake's warm body up against her, long limbs wrapped around her torso, as well as Ruby's own toned body pressed up against her back, playing idly with her hair while her calloused fingers ran along her shoulder in a triangle pattern.

"Oh my Oum!" Ruby suddenly squealed. "It's... It's… Oh, you guys! You gotta see! Can you see it on me, can you?"

Laughing, the other two separated from their kiss. Pyrrha rolled back over to where Ruby was now facing away from them but leaning up on her elbow so that her left shoulder was visible. Blake leaned over the redhead's torso, raven tresses tickling her neck as she tried to get a closer look.

"Oh," Blake murmured, at a loss for more substantial exclamation.

Pyrrha couldn't agree more.

At the junction of each side of the upside-down triangle, the lines of which now appeared to be wrapped in delicate vines, were their three emblems. Ruby's rose outline was on the upper left, Pyrrha's spear and shield on the right, and Blake's stylized flower on the bottom.

"Is that awesome, or is that awesome?" Ruby squealed, glancing over her shoulder with a wide grin.

"That," Pyrrha intoned softly, "is all kinds of awesome."

"Yes it is," Blake agreed, wrapping one arm around Pyrrha while the other stroked Ruby's arm. "I think this calls for some wine, what do you girls say?"

"I'd say that sounds like an excellent start to our celebration," Pyrrha laughed.

The three of them maneuvered around until they were all seated facing one another, glasses upraised in their hands and the plate of cookies set into the middle.

"To us," Blake stated with a soft smile.

"The loves of my life," Pyrrha agreed contentedly.

Ruby giggled as they clinked their glasses together. "We are the luckiest girls in _all_ of Remnant…"

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the Second Mark is finally in place! That's quite likely the last one I might detail, but rest assured they would take the final step for the Third Stage, likely once they're actually out of Beacon. Now, some of you might wonder what the Mark itself now looks like, hmm? Whelp, remember the very excellent OmegaInfinity, masterful word scribe for my favorite polyamory tale, Linked in Life and Love, which is where I've obtained most of this headcannon for the Marks? Well, they just happened to draw up a wonderful little sketch. Behold the official emblem for Purruby!
> 
> I can't say it enough Omega, you are too awesome for words to adequately describe.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	71. Chapter 71

"That, Ruby declared adamantly, "is NOT how you eat string cheese."

Pyrrha paused after having bit off the end of her cheese stick. "Er… pardon?"

"Fluffy fox, I'm shocked," the brunette said with mock sternness. "Shocked, I say, at your disregard for culture. Tell her, Weiss!"

Her platinum-haired partner sighed as she handed out plates from the picnic basket. "I am not getting involved in this," she replied steadily.

"What?" Yang protested, grabbing hold of her girlfriend's wrists. "Babe, how can you not feel strongly about this? There's a right way, and there's a wrong way!"

"It. Is. Cheese," Weiss gritted out levelly. "In the shape of a stick."

"String cheese!" Ruby corrected as her redhead and raven-haired girlfriends shared a bemused look. "And this is important! C'mon, Nora, back me up here!"

"Yeah, sorry, I gotta agree with Yang and Ruby," the orange-haired girl giggled from where she lay, knees up in the air and head resting in her boyfriend's lap. "You are all uncultured swine."

"I fail to see the severity of this situation," Ren murmured over Weiss' indignant squawk.

"Renny," Nora stated solemnly, staring up with her turquoise eyes shining. "I love you, so I'll let this go. You get one pass on the subject of string cheese, I advise you not to push your luck."

The raven-haired boy smiled softly. "Yes, Nora," he replied, bending down and giving her a sweet kiss.

"Alright, little rose," Pyrrha said loudly over the beginnings of an all-out argument amongst teams RWBY and JNPR. "Pray tell, how do you properly eat string cheese?"

The brunette sprang to her feet. "Allow me to demonstrate," she smirked. Cheese stick held aloft, she slowly peeled off a corner until a smaller string of the original was left, which she promptly popped into her mouth. "Voila!"

"And… this is the cultured way to do it?" Blake asked, her bow twitching in amusement.

"Of course!"

The raven-haired girl laughed lightly, draping an arm across Pyrrha's shoulder. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't do for us to appear as savages, would it?"

"Goodness, no," the redhead giggled, adopting the 'proper' way of eating her pre-lunch snack.

"Now that we have that settled…" Ruby began, only to be cut off by a still-irate Weiss.

"I fail to see how a different way to eat a stick of cheese- _Mmf_!"

Once Yang had her girlfriend properly distracted, by virtue of a rather smoldering kiss, Ruby cleared her throat.

" _As I was saying_ , now that we have that settled, we can dig into our goodies!"

The eight of them were gathered on a set of four blankets, laid together into a large square, on the outskirts of Forever Fall forest. The temperature was cooling quickly, and the group of friends decided to take advantage of the pleasant weather while they still could with a picnic lunch.

"Jaune, did you make cookies?" Ruby squealed excitedly as she began to remove items from the basket nearest her.

"Yes I did, Ruby," her friend replied with a grin. "And, because I know you, there's a large bag with your name on it."

The brunette shot him a huge, ear-splitting grin. "Best. Friend. Ever."

"Yeah, you've come a long way, vomit-boy," Yang snickered as she passed out sandwiches.

"Really, Yang?" the blond boy deadpanned.

"Hey, first impressions stick with ya."

"Joy."

Yang gave him a cheeky wink as she tossed him a cellophane-wrapped ham sandwich. Pulling out a tuna one next, she sent it over towards her raven-haired partner.

"Heads up, kitten!"

Blake caught it adroitly without even looking up. "Thank you, Yang. And don't call me kitten."

"You bet, kitten!" Yang grinned at their familiar byplay.

The Cat Faunus just smiled slightly and shook her head. _Some things never change. I suppose Yang was really the first to truly embrace my heritage, even if she does it in her normal teasing fashion. Her heart is as big as her sister's._

"So, speaking of being a best friend," Ruby mentioned casually after swallowing her bite of turkey and swiss. "Jaune, how's it going with Emerald?"

"Uhhh… heheh, yeah it's going," Jaune replied, rubbing the back of his neck ruefully.

"Uh-huh," Nora chimed in skeptically. "Are we talking about when she poured her slushy drink down the front of your pants?"

"Or when she gave you her number, but it turned out to be that rejection hotline?" Ren added quietly.

"Or maybe the ice cream cone she upended on your head?" Pyrrha stated with a sympathetic look.

"Ouch," Yang murmured. "Tough one, huh? Please tell me you didn't try singing to her…"

"Nope, no singing," Jaune declared. "And hey, it's progress. The last time she just rolled her eyes and walked away. I think I'm wearing her down."

"Pretty optimistic there, Jaune," Ruby remarked with a small amount of skepticism.

"I think he might actually be on the right track," Blake murmured. "I was there for the last time, she was muttering something about persistence as she walked off. And I could have sworn I saw a very subtle smile."

"Really?" Jaune asked excitedly, bouncing up and down from his seated position. "Oh my Oum, really? Oh, I could kiss you, can I kiss you?"

"No." The quiet declaration came from three voices at once, and Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha shared a quick grin with each other afterward.

"Fine, I was kidding... " Jaune chuckled. "Seriously, though, I need to think of something new to try to ask her out to, maybe just drinks? Or lunch, something less involved than a dinner or a movie?"

"Well, you _could_ have asked her to the carnival still in town," Weiss stated with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey, none of that was any of our faults!" Nora declared, brandishing her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, drops of strawberry jelly splattering about.

The platinum-haired girl sighed, putting her plate down and brushing her skirt off demurely before ticking points off of her fingers. "Nora, you demolished a game with your hammer."

"They were cheating!" the orange-haired girl argued.

"Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha all were removed from the Tunnel of Love…"

The brunette chuckled abashedly, sharing a blush with her girlfriends. "Yeah, we might'a taken the _Love_ portion a bit too far…"

"It was a dark tunnel," Pyrrha protested weakly.

"And a slow ride," Blake added, looking down at her lap bashfully.

Weiss rolled her eyes, murmuring something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "degenerates" but not loud enough for Blake to call her out on it. _Don't think I don't know what you and Yang were doing up on the Ferris wheel…_

"And hey, that guy totally deserved to get his fingers broken," Yang interjected cheerfully.

"And why was that, again?" Pyrrha asked with a smirk.

"He was groping Weiss!"

"Mmhmm."

"W- Well, what about you?" the white-haired girl stammered.

"What about me?" the redhead replied smugly.

"Pyrrha, you disassembled that other man's scroll and force-fed it to him."

"But only the smaller pieces," Ren deadpanned.

"Yeah, and he was taking pictures up our skirts!" Ruby defended heatedly. "Totally justified!"

"Huh, I wonder why we all got kicked out of the carnival?" Jaune asked sarcastically.

"I know, right? _So_ unfair!"

* * *

"Well, that was nice," Pyrrha sighed as they entered their shared dorm room. She stretched languidly with her arms over her head. "I'm a bit tired now, though. Perhaps we could take a nap?"

"Oh, I like that idea," Ruby giggled, kicking her shoes off and bouncing onto their bed. "Always up for cuddly naps!"

"Mmm," Blake agreed softly, slipping her boots off and crawling over to her girlfriends. Pyrrha lay on her back, arm wrapped around their brunette lover as she snuggled up into her side. The Cat Faunus lowered herself down, tucking her head into the redhead's shoulder after giving her a kiss on the cheek. She reached across and clasped hands with Ruby against Pyrrha's stomach.

Pyrrha ran her hands through her girlfriends' hair, eliciting a happy little hum from Ruby and a contented purr from Blake.

"I love you both," the leggy redhead sighed softly.

"Love you guys," Ruby agreed sleepily.

"Very much," Blake murmured, closing her eyes. She reflected idly on how, when they had first admitted their love for one another, it had been so important to say it directly to each of them by name. They were considerably more relaxed now, seeing how each of them knew how the others felt about them, particularly through their Mark. There was no longer the need to repeat their affection individually, but, of course, that didn't make their affection any less.

If anything, in the past few months their love for one another had soared to heights that none of them had thought even remotely possible.

The Faunus girl sighed softly as she enjoyed the closeness and warmth of her girlfriends, allowing their feelings to wash over her through their bond.

_Gods how I truly do love these two girls._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun picnictimes ends in fluffy snuggles. D'aww… And yes, it is very important how you eat string cheese. And Twix.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	72. Chapter 72

"...And that's when the first guy just kinda, well, blew up," Ruby continued as she and Pyrrha strolled into the dorm from outside where they'd been running drills. Both of them were fairly well covered in sweat from their workout and feeling the burn in their muscles.

"That does sound quite intense," the redhead agreed solemnly.

"Yeah, but then I woke up," she huffed irritably. "Wish I coulda seen what happened to the dancing bear."

"I am sure he is just fine in dream-land," Pyrrha chuckled. "Perhaps vacationing somewhere until once more summoned by your dreams."

"I wonder if that's how it works," the brunette mused. "Do the characters from my dreams become real and then just kinda exist somewhere?"

"Who knows," Pyrrha smiled, giving the shorter girl a quick one-armed hug.

Ruby smiled back, not minding in the least their sweaty state. She'd take hugs from either of her lovers, no matter how they were. And speaking of vacations…

"Hey, fluffy fox, I wanted to ask you something," she began seriously, pausing at the top of the stairs.

"What is it, love?" Pyrrha asked, coming to a stop as well. Her emerald green eyes glittered in the early morning light that filtered through the stairwell windows, focused solely on whatever her girlfriend had to say.

"Well, we're gonna have winter break in a couple months… and I really, really want for the three of us to be together for Yuletide…"

Pyrrha's smile broadened. "That would be grand," she stated softly, though the smile began to fade somewhat as she evidently began to think of her parents.

"And so what I was wondering is," Ruby interjected hurriedly before the redhead could grow overly concerned, "if you came with us to Patch, maybe your parents could visit us there for Yuletide as well? Bring our whole family together!"

"Oh, little rose," Pyrrha murmured. "I can't think of anything I'd like better for the holidays. Thank you, love, you are so very thoughtful."

Ruby grinned and shrugged, blushing a bit at the praise. "Eh, well, I kinda get stuck thinking about these things, y'know… how we can stay together as much as we can…" She looked down, scuffing her athletic shoe against the carpet. "I don't like being away from either of you," she admitted quietly.

"Nor I from either of you," Pyrrha conceded, wrapping her arms around the other girl and pressing a kiss onto the top of her head.

They stood there for a few moments while hugging, ignoring the students moving around them as much as they did their own post-workout funk.

Giving each other a quick squeeze, they separated and moved towards their room, hand-in-hand.

"Do you suppose our kitty cat has returned from her jog?" Pyrrha mused.

"Yeah, she should be, though I imagine she's…"

As the door opened, Ruby's words trailed off. Both of them moved stealthily into the room, closing the door silently behind them. The sounds of the shower were running from the bathroom, but above that could be heard the soft alto singing that drifted to them like thick, warm honey.

"Oh, my," the redhead breathed, enchanted.

Ruby could only nod wordlessly. She led Pyrrha over to sit on the edge of their bed where they perched, basking in the rich singing voice they never knew their girlfriend possessed. The wonderful deep notes reaching their ears were somewhat sensual, not because of the content of the love song but because of the way Ruby's middle seemed to feel all warm and comfortable listening to her. She'd no idea Blake had such an incredible singing voice.

And then, quite suddenly, the lovely ballad cut off, replaced by silence as the water stopped as well.

"How long have you been out there?" a hesitant voice called out from behind the door.

"Not nearly long enough," Ruby giggled.

They heard the Cat Faunus sigh deeply before she pushed the door open, towels wrapped around her dripping hair and body.

"I don't like anybody hearing me… sing," she muttered bashfully as she toweled her hair off.

"But, Blakey…" the brunette began, though Pyrrha gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Blake, my love?" the redhead murmured. "Could you please feel us through the Mark?"

The raven-haired girl froze warily but then nodded. Ruby felt the soft brush as their lover sent a tendril of her aura along their bond, the sensation like a warm kiss placed directly on her left shoulder over the location of the Mark itself.

Blake sucked in a startled breath, almost dropping her towel.

"We love your singing voice," Pyrrha resumed intently. "It is as beautiful as you are."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, fluffy fox," Ruby smirked, giving Blake a wink. "Please don't be embarrassed about it, Blakey. I'd love to hear you sing again, even if it's only with the two of us."

"Okay," the Cat Faunus replied softly, resuming the drying of her hair. "Er… what did you have in mind?"

"Maybe at night sometimes?" the brunette unhesitatingly requested, though a bit shyly. "I mean… we love it when you read to us, so maybe you could sing to us as well? Just, y'know… on occasion?"

"I would truly love that," Pyrrha breathed.

"Mmm." Blake gave them a little smile, which quickly turned into a frown as her nose wrinkled up. "Right now, though, you both need showers. Shoo."

"Yes, love," the redhead giggled, dragging Ruby to her feet as she headed towards the bathroom.

"Oooh, are we takin' one together?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"Well, it _would_ conserve the hot water," Pyrrha smirked. She stopped and leveled a stern finger at the shorter brunette. " _Only_ a shower, though. Nothing… extra."

"Gotcha, no funny business, hands to myself," Ruby smiled back innocently.

Pyrrha gave her one more unconvinced look before she stepped into the bathroom, quickly stripping off her dirty exercise clothes and tossing them into the hamper they all shared. Soon thereafter the water started back up again.

"Are you planning on tackling her before or after she actually steps into the shower?" Blake murmured amusedly.

"Hmm… After." Ruby grinned widely as she slipped her own clothes off. "Sneak attack and all that, y'know."

"Like she's not expecting it?"

"Oh, I know she's expecting it, but she doesn't _know_ I know she's expecting it, so it'll still be a surprise when I glomp her."

"You…" Blake sighed, shaking her head as she heard the shower start back up. "I love you," she stated simply.

"Love you too, kitty cat," Ruby smirked before darting into the bathroom and sneaking into the shower stall behind Pyrrha.

Sure enough, the redhead still ended up letting out a surprised _squeal_ at the rather provocative placement of Ruby's hands.

 _Yep, still got it,_ Ruby smirked again widely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit for the idea for Blake's singing voice goes to yosai. I like the idea of Blake having this low, sultry singing voice that she'd be embarrassed about, especially with having someone like Weiss for a teammate. And yes, we're already planning for winter break here, at my count should happen in, oh… seven chapters or so. We'll have Halloween first, naturally.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	73. Chapter 73

"Ugh, afternoon classes are the absolute _worst_ ," Ruby complained from where she had her arm wrapped around Pyrrha's side.

"Particularly those of Professor Port," Blake agreed, giving Pyrrha's hand a squeeze from the other side.

"I might have to disagree with you both," the redhead retorted. " _Nothing_ can possibly be worse than trying to stay awake during his lecture, first thing in the morning."

"Hmm." Ruby pondered that for an instant as they made their slow way towards the classrooms. "Yeah, okay, I'll give you that one."

"Mmm."

"In any case, Professor Peach's class isn't too bad," Pyrrha continued. "At least when she's there. She seems to have an inordinate number of substitutes."

"Yeah, she's not around much," the brunette conceded.

They stopped outside Ruby and Blake's classroom, as it was on the way to Pyrrha's.

"Well, I suppose I shall leave you both," Pyrrha sighed melodramatically. "Do try and stay awake the best you can… And remember to take notes, I'm certain there will be some mention of cabbages."

"Getting pretty cheeky there, fluffy fox," Ruby grinned.

Blake, though, had a different retort in mind. She pressed herself against the leggy redhead, pushing her up against the wall of the hallway, heedless of the students milling about. The raven-haired girl reached up to grab ahold of the back of Pyrrha's neck, dragging her down into an intense, fiery kiss.

The redhead couldn't help but moan passionately as Blake's demanding tongue thrust into her mouth, and then when Ruby slipped up next to her, grabbing her wrists that were linked behind Blake's back and holding them together with one strong hand… while the brunette's calloused fingers of her other hand ran along her side…

She practically melted into a gooey little pile right on the spot.

And then, just as suddenly as the rather erotic assault began, it stopped.

Pyrrha was left panting up against the wall still, with her palms flat against the surface behind her to keep her upright on trembling legs, her clothing and hair in disarray as her smirking girlfriends waved to her cheerfully while heading into the classroom.

"See you after class, fluffy fox!" Ruby giggled.

"Unh," the redhead grunted unintelligibly. Her swollen lips were parted slightly, and her emerald eyes had a wild, unfocused look to them.

"Damn," Nora giggled as she stepped up with the rest of the team. "Left ya hanging, huh?"

Pyrrha gave herself a shake. "Yes," she growled heatedly, feeling _quite_ a bit unsatisfied at the moment. "Yes, they did." She made to take a step towards the classroom doorway that her girlfriends had disappeared through, but a chuckling Jaune laid a hand on her arm.

"We have a test today," her partner reminded gently.

"But _Jaaaune_ ," she whined in an admirable imitation of Nora.

The other three shared a round of laughter as they headed for their own classroom.

"That's a pretty mean case of Blue Bean they left you with," Nora snickered as they took their seats.

"Er… pardon?" Pyrrha asked, perplexed.

"Y'know, Blue Bean?" The orange-haired girl's smirk widened. "Blue Walls? Blueterus?"

"Oh my Oum!" Pyrrha exclaimed, her face flushed brightly in mortification as she finally comprehended Nora's meaning.

"Nora," her boyfriend chided gently. "Please stop."

"Yes, please do," Jaune added in consternation over the pinkette's gleeful snickering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, more teasing, more Blue Bean. I credit the other iterations, especially Blueterus, to Pixlepie's education of myself. Poor Pyrrha seems to consistently receive the shorter end of the metaphorical stick here, but she's also the easiest to fluster. Hope you all enjoyed the quickie! (See what I did there? Eh? Ehhh? Damn, always the tough crowd…)
> 
> Stay shiny!


	74. Chapter 74

Team RWBY's dorm room was mostly silent as all those present were focused on various projects. Yang was, momentously enough, working on a research paper while sitting cross-legged on her bed, back against the wall. The blonde's tongue was stuck between her teeth in concentration, an act that fairly well cemented her status as Ruby's sibling. Her girlfriend, Weiss, was seated at her desk, posture upright and head tilted ever so slightly. The heiress' pencil scraped across the page as she completed an essay for Professor Peach's class.

Ruby and Blake were seated in the middle of the floor, side by side, as they did some weapon's maintenance. _Crescent Rose_ required an inordinate amount of care and attention in between uses, so very many moving parts, gears and actuators that had to work seamlessly when the brunette needed them to. The Cat Faunus worked on _Gambol Shroud_  less frequently, but as it had been awhile she'd decided to join her girlfriend on the floor.

The third member of their relationship was seated on the bed across the room from Yang, idly reading from a textbook. Or rather, re-reading, as she'd gotten ahead of the rest of the class several weeks ago by accident, and was now simply refreshing her memory.

Pyrrha took in the calm of the room. Normally she'd be the first to relax and enjoy such serenity, but lately, a certain brunette had been rubbing off on her.

To put it quite frankly, fluffy fox was feeling a mite mischievous and wanted to play.

A small grin crossed her face before she stilled herself into neutrality once more. Out of the corner of her eye, she waited for Ruby to put her tightening tool down before she wiggled her fingers, causing said tool to drift behind the petite girl's back. The aluminum tube of lubricating gel in Blake's hands had barely touched the ground before it rolled subtly under the Cat Faunus' knee.

The redhead worked very hard to keep the smirk from her face as each girl put their hand down for the item they'd just left, only to feel around in puzzlement. It didn't take long for them to find the items, and with almost identical shrugs they went back to work.

She waited another few moments, this time switching the tiny crescent wrench of Ruby's with a long bolt of Blake's.

"Kitty cat, have you seen my- Oh. Why do you have my tool?" Ruby blinked her eyes in confusion as she gazed at the small wrench by Blake's side.

"Oh, I don't know… Wait, where'd the bolt go?"

"What, you mean this?"

"Yes, thank you, but how did it…"

Two sets of eyes, amber and silver, slowly swiveled to rest on the figure of Pyrrha, who was quite unsuccessfully hiding her mirth by using her textbook as a shield.

"Fluffy fox!" Ruby cried, sounding quite indignant.

"Yes?" she chortled, refusing to look them in the eyes.

"I can't believe you!"

"Whatever do you mean, little rose?"

"Don't even try it, your aura has guilt written all over it!"

"You must be mistaken, all I feel right now is an inordinate amount of amusement."

Blake snorted softly. "This is revenge for leaving you outside of class yesterday, isn't it?"

"Why, no, kitty cat," Pyrrha smirked, finally looking at them with her emerald eyes dancing merrily. "I mean, if I were to stoop so low as to carry out revenge, perhaps I might find myself in such a position. But I am merely sitting here and reading my book, nothing more."

By now both Yang and Weiss' shoulders were shaking with quiet laughter as the redhead's girlfriends just shook their heads.

"Besides which, the two of you look absolutely adorable when you get confused," Pyrrha added, smirk still firmly in place as she raised the book back upright.

"Pyrrha," the brunette began solemnly. "We are both very, sincerely sorry for… er…"

"Taking such liberties?" Blake supplied helpfully.

"Yeah, that'll work. For taking such liberties and leaving you hanging yesterday."

Yang snorted out a quick laugh. "Blue Bean," she snickered, earning her a glare from her sister and her partner.

" _Anyways_ , would you kindly accept our apology and stop screwing with us?"

Pyrrha looked up once more, grinning widely. "Very well, I accept your apology."

" _Thank_ you."

All five girls returned to their previous activities, at least for another minute or so.

_However, I never said I would stop._

Several heartbeats later, a fierce and exasperated cry sounded, followed by several people's uproarious laughter.

"Dust-damn-it-all, Pyrrha!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Props to yosai for the idea of Pyrrha using her semblance to mess with her girlfriends, simply because she finds it so cute when they're flustered. See, fluffy fox can hold her own just fine.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	75. Chapter 75

"This is gonna be _sooo_ cool!"

Normally such an exclamation might be attributed to a certain team leader with red-tipped brown hair, or perhaps a hammer-wielding pinkette, or maybe even a blonde brawler with a penchant for even more destructive tendencies.

For all three of them to utter the same phrase, at the same time, spelled certain doom for all of those assembled on the airbus.

"We're doomed," Weiss groaned, giving voice to popular opinion.

Pyrrha smiled gently. "Surely it cannot be all that bad?"

The platinum-haired girl gave the taller Amazonian warrior an incredulous look, one with was shared by her teammate.

"You do remember who we are talking about, do you not, love?" Blake asked with a humorous twinkle in her amber eyes.

Pyrrha opened her mouth once more, only to let it drift closed as she regarded the excitable trio consideringly. "Perhaps you may be correct," she murmured.

From the other side of her, a mint-green head of hair poked around her shoulder. "Just how much trouble could they possibly get into?" Emerald asked curiously.

Around her, Blake, Pyrrha, Weiss, Jaune, and Ren all shared a glance before chuckling loudly.

"You have no idea," Jaune snickered, giving his date for the evening a bump with his shoulder.

Emerald gave a rather disgruntled snort as she leaned back once more, warily eyeing the three ecstatically chattering girls across from her.

"Relax, Emerald," Weiss sighed. "You will only have to deal with Yang and Nora at the party. Ruby will be staying behind with her girlfriends."

"Yes, she's decided we should be trick-or-treating instead," Pyrrha stated with a wry smile.

Blake added a grin of her own. "She was _very_ persuasive."

The green-haired girl shifted slightly, grasping her overnight bag in her arms. "Yes… Er, about that…" Her coral eyes drifted over to where Blake and Pyrrha sat, contentedly snuggling together.

"Yes?" the pair responded with identically droll tones.

"Okay, that's just creepy," she murmured in reply. "But seriously… The three of you? In a relationship? How does that even… work?"

Blake and Pyrrha shared a grin. "Quite well, actually," the Cat Faunus replied smugly. She gave a little _eep_ as a red-clad form hurtled into her lap.

"You guys talking about me?" Ruby giggled, leaning up to give each of her lovers a peck on the cheeks.

"Why, were your ears burning?" Pyrrha asked with a soft smile.

The brunette rewarded them with her particular lecherous trademark smirk. "Nope, other things were, though…"

"Ruby!" her girlfriends exclaimed, the both of them pushing the laughing girl off of their laps.

"Okay, I withdraw my question," Emerald interjected. "I think I get the idea." She turned to Jaune with an eyebrow raised. "So she's topping the both of them?"

"Um…" the blond hedged, blushing brightly.

"Yep, she sure is!" Yang called out cheerfully.

Ruby, by this point, had dragged the other pair down with her, and they were currently entangled in a giggling mess of limbs on the floor of the airbus, heedless of any other passengers observation.

"Right," Emerald murmured before turning to the others. "You really are an odd group."

From the pile of wriggling body bods, a hand was thrust upwards with a thumb raised.

"Yep!" Ruby cheered.

* * *

The island of Patch was normally a rather sedate, lackadaisical place. One night out of the year, however, the residents tended to cut loose with parties, decorations, and a veritable crowd of ghouls, goblins, and ghosts.

The nine teens smiled indulgently as they dodged some of the smaller children as they scurried about while it was still daylight, led by parents around the neighborhoods.

"Halloween is definitely one of my favorite holidays," Nora giggled, skipping happily alongside Ren while gripping her boyfriend's hand tightly.

"Really?" Weiss deadpanned in a rather admirable imitation of Blake. "We hadn't noticed."

Nora opened her mouth to retort, but Ren leaned over and gave her a quick peck on her lips. "Sarcasm, love," he murmured.

"Ooooh, gotcha. Thanks, Renny."

"So do you all do this often?" Emerald asked curiously. "Return to Patch for the holiday, that is?"

"Nah, not for Halloween," Yang returned breezily, her arm wrapped around Weiss' shoulders and lending her considerable body warmth to the heiress. "We did for Yuletide last year, though, and we're all gonna be here this winter break too. Likely have dad pick us up again then like he did over the summer, won't be as nice out as it is now."

"Hey, Em," Ruby piped up from where she strode along in between her own girlfriends, hands clasped with each other. "Where do you call home?"

She blinked hesitantly at the frantic hand-waving by Jaune behind Emerald's back, but the mint-haired girl responded levelly anyways.

"Don't really have a home," she returned in a monotone. "Originally from Mistral, though."

"Oh," Ruby murmured, downcast for only a brief moment. "Well then, you should totally come visit us for Yuletide!"

"Er… pardon?" Emerald asked, nonplussed.

"Yeah, it'd be totally cool, I mean, Blake and Pyrrha will be there, and Weiss..."

"I'll think about it," the other girl replied after a moment's hesitation. "Um… thanks for the offer."

"You bet!"

Jaune nudged her with his elbow. "Really, that's just the way she is," he whispered. "She hates for people to be lonely."

"It's very sweet," Emerald whispered back. "I'm not sure, though, if I could handle all of…" She waved a thin hand aimlessly to encompass the trio of girls as well as both Yang and Weiss. "...That."

Jaune snorted softly. "Try living across from them," he chuckled.

"Heard that," Yang called out cheerfully.

"And you know I'm not wrong," the blond retorted.

"Never said anything of the sort," Yang smirked.

* * *

After quite a bit of walking, they eventually arrived at the Xiao Long household to be greeted by a towering zombie with matted blond hair. Tai grinned at the group, setting his bowl of candy down to pass out hugs instead.

Pyrrha and Blake were once again reminded of where Yang got her propensity for smothering hugs from, and Weiss was reminded she needed to make a chiropractic appointment soon.

"So good to see you girls!" the hulking Hunter effused. "And who all do we have here?"

Intros were passed around, followed by more hugs. Curiously, though, Emerald managed to disappear briefly from the end of the reception line only to reappear by Pyrrha's side. At the pleading look in her coral eyes, the taller redhead grinned and protectively tucked her in behind her.

"Well, we should have plenty of rooms inside for you all to change in, Yang and Ruby show them around, okay? How far away is the party?"

"Just up the street," Yang reassured him as she ushered the others inside. "We can walk, heck, we walked here."

"Yeah, okay, just lemme know if you need picked up."

Yang grinned at her dad's thoughtfulness. He'd come a long way from the mostly-wreck after losing Summer, maybe not the model dad but one she was happy to call as much a friend as a parent.

"Will do, thanks, dad."

Before too long Ruby and her girlfriends were standing in their room, having all turned their backs previously to change in order to circumvent any potential distractions.

"Okay, you are too adorable, fluffy fox," Ruby giggled, eyeing the tall redhead dressed as an angel, complete with flowy white robe, wings, and a fuzzy golden halo suspended by wire over her head.

"Oh, I think our kitty cat here has me beat," Pyrrha grinned. The Cat Faunus was dressed as a witch, sans the stereotypical tall black hat so that her furry ears might be free. She otherwise had a rather slinky, low-cut black dress and carried a broom.

"Mmm," Blake murmured, sauntering over towards their brunette lover. "But what about our adorable little rose here?"

Ruby was dressed as an absolutely precious vampire, which, granted, her predilection towards a more gothic line of clothing wasn't terribly far from her usual. Plastic fangs and her red cloak completed the outfit.

She gave a toothy smile at Blake as she approached. "Mind if I drink from you?" With the way her eyes lowered down past the Cat Faunus' waistline, the double entendre was glaringly obvious, causing both of the other girls to blush furiously.

"Really?" Pyrrha deadpanned in a rather admirable imitation of the raven-haired girl.

"Oh, don't worry fluffy fox," Ruby smirked. "I'd love to… drink… from you as well…"

"Right," Blake groused, grabbing the both of them by their hands and dragging them out of the room. "We're going to wait for the others in the main room before this descends into exactly what it usually does…"

"Aww…" the brunette whined half-heartedly. "But Blakey…"

"Come on, little rose," Pyrrha chuckled, wrapping an arm around the shorter girl as they headed down the hallway. "Save it for the evening."

"Hmm, I suppose vampires do work better at night, don't they?" Ruby asked humorously.

In the living room, both Jaune and Emerald were already sitting on the sofa, chatting quietly. There was a respectable distance between the two, but Ruby noted that it was considerably less than what it was on the airbus. Progress, she supposed, even if she still had the same biting, sarcastic humor as before Jaune had asked her on perhaps the strangest first date ever.

Before Ruby could begin grilling the pair on how a Halloween party off-campus was what finally broke down her reservations, the others of the group began all filing in, glancing around at the costume choices for the evening. Some, like those of Ruby and her girlfriends, as well as Emerald's choice of white bikini top and shimmering green dress for a mermaid, were quite obvious. Others…

Everyone was staring at Nora foremost. In retrospect, the theme was clearly discernable. The execution, however, gave cause for some concern. Pun intended.

"So, this…" Weiss remarked levelly, waving her hand across the very large cardboard contraption around the orange-haired girl's torso, decorated as a box of Pumpkin Pete's. It was even complete with the smiling visage of Pyrrha on the front.

"Yep, pretty cool, huh?" Nora chirped.

"Nora, dear," Pyrrha remarked, appearing a little nauseous as she looked askance at the bloody plastic knife protruding from the forehead of her facsimile. "That is a little disturbing."

"Mmm," Blake agreed warily.

"But I'm a Cereal Killer!" the hammer-wielder protested.

"Yes, nobody's debating that, but…" Pyrrha paused as she regarded her brunette girlfriend warily. Ruby had her hands clamped over her mouth, her entire body quivering with her attempt to stifle her laughter. Tears of mirth were streaming down her reddened cheeks.

The redhead just sighed and shook her head, regarding Ren next. "And you, Ren? What exactly are you supposed to be?"

The raven-haired boy looked down at his white tee shirt, emblazoned with writing that spelled out 'Go ceiling go! You're #1!' on it.

"I'm a Ceiling Fan," he replied, nonplussed.

Several groans chroused throughout the room. "Yeah, okay, that one's bad for even Yang," Weiss deadpanned.

"Hey!" the blonde protested, recovering from her own bout of suppressed laughter from Nora's getup.

Ren gave an embarrassed shrug. "Well, it was Nora's idea."

"I happen to like it," Yang declared, giving her girlfriend a challenging look.

"And somehow that does not reassure me," Ren murmured in return.

Before the conversation could deteriorate further, Blake suddenly let out an uncharacteristically loud laugh. She blushed furiously as everyone regarded her, but she could only shrug and pointed towards her platinum-haired teammate. "Sorry, I just got her costume."

Weiss, though, was beaming at her brightly. "I knew you'd be the first to comprehend, Blake!"

Glancing at her partner in confusion, Ruby screwed her eyes up to read the words scrawled across the slip Weiss was wearing, such as libido, oral fixation, id, ego, and penis envy.

"I don't get it," the brunette mumbled.

"It's a Freudian Slip," Blake sighed humorously.

"Ooohhh…"

Weiss smirked proudly, though Yang was quick to denounce both her girlfriend and her partner as a bunch of nerds, only to earn herself a smack on either arm by each girl.

"Okay, well I get yours, Emerald," Ruby spoke up. "Nice mermaid. But Jaune?"

Emerald sighed in amusement as she gave Jaune a smirk. The blond's vision snapped back up from where he'd been ogling her, though she looked slightly pleased from catching him in the act. "Would you care to explain?"

Jaune leapt to his feet, his outfit on display for all to see. He wore orange shorts, a pink tee shirt, soft purple backpack, and a long, fake grey beard, while carrying a plastic wand.

Before he could open his mouth, however, Blake facepalmed with an audible _smack_. "Oh my Oum, Jaune, really?"

The blond nodded unrepentantly. "Dumbledora the Explorer," he confirmed triumphantly. Soon thereafter he was dodging pillows that followed the numerous pained groans.

"Right, then, that just leaves me," Yang announced proudly. "Nobody guessed it yet?"

She stood in the spot Jaune had vacated, fists on her hips. The blonde had a tiara perched in her luxurious locks, and a white gown under a red velvet cape. The odd aspect of the getup were the numerous stuffed puppies and kittens sewn into the cape, all along the length of it to where it brushed along the floor.

Staring incredulously at the slow shakes of her friend's heads, she sighed melodramatically. "I'm Reining Cats and Dogs!"

By unanimous vote, hers was declared best punny outfit for the evening, hands-down.

A happy _yip_ heralded the arrival of Zwei from wherever he'd been roaming the neighborhood. It was an even bet he'd been either trick-or-treating on his own or chasing some of the older kids for the fun of it.

He happily accepted the lauds and praise from most of the assembled teens (a certain Cat Faunus notwithstanding), before ending up perched at Emerald's feet. The two of them regarded each other levelly before Zwei slowly stood up, trotted towards a sandaled foot, and began to lift one of his legs.

"Zwei, no!" Ruby scolded loudly, chasing him off. "Bad dog!"

Emerald looked around, perplexed. "Did he seriously just…"

She trailed off as Blake sidled up to her. "Now you understand," the raven-haired girl intoned ominously before retreating once more, a knowing look on her face.

The green-haired girl watched her depart as if she'd grown a third head. "See, this kinda stuff is why the entire school thinks you're all a bunch of nutcases."

The rest of the group of Hunters-in-training blinked and looked at each other consideringly.

"Well, they're not wrong," Ruby shrugged.

Emerald just pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed wearily.

* * *

Ruby skipped along happily at the head of her three-person entourage. The sun had set, most of the smaller children returned to their homes and the neighborhood given over to the older trick-or-treaters.

Blake looked around bemusedly at the other costumed revelers. "Why is it we seem to be the oldest out here tonight?"

"'Cause we are," Ruby replied cheerfully, her red cloak streaming out behind her as she danced back and forth. She skidded to a halt in front of Blake, leaning up on her tiptoes to plant a wet kiss on her lips. "But this is tons more fun than any party, right guys?"

"Yes, of course it is," Pyrrha smiled gently, pulling Ruby over to herself next for another kiss. "Because we're with you."

"Aww," the brunette giggled. "Just for that, I'll make sure to drink _extra_ long from you when we get home."

"But Ruby," Blake murmured in her best sultry voice. "I've been _so_ willing to please you, my mistress…"

Ruby almost choked on her laugh as she fell against Pyrrha, her face a bright red. "Ooooh, yeah, you got me there, kitty cat. Guess I'll just have to take my time with the both of you."

"Won't it be a little… awkward?" Pyrrha asked hesitantly. "I mean, with so many others there?"

"Not like the others aren't just as bad anyways," Ruby shrugged, towing the two of them over to the next house where she declared they always kept a stash of the big candy bars for older kids like them. "Well, except for Emerald, but she'd figure it out about us sooner or later."

"But we don't want to, er, scare her away from a potential relation with Jaune, do we?" Pyrrha pressed, worried for her partner.

Ruby paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, yeah okay, good point. However…" She thrust her finger upright triumphantly. "We have two hours before they return from the party."

Blake snickered eagerly. "And just how long do you want to remain out here?"

Grinning, the brunette fastened her hands on each girl's wrists. "Ready for the Ruby Rapid Transit system of trick-or-treating?"

Remarkably enough, the three giggling girls managed to cover the entire, spread-out neighborhood in under a half hour.

For the rest of the time, up until the others returned from their Halloween party, Tai accepted the numerous compliments from trick-or-treaters regarding the higher quality of his soundtrack of spooky moans, groans, and shrieks with his usual aplomb, disregarding the fact that he'd unplugged his speakers some time earlier already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The number of puns in this story is at an all-time high for me. It has the Yang stamp of approval. Also, yes, there is a sort of bittersweet irony with Pyrrha's costume… And then Ruby's costume is a subtle nod to my other fic in progress, Blood of the Rose. Other terribly punny costume ideas gathered from around the internet, because I'm horrible at coming up with them myself.
> 
> I kinda see a bit of myself in Tai, where there's not a whole lot that would faze him anymore after raising two teenaged girls. Just kinda go with the flow. And trying really hard not to think about what he's hearing. Which gives me an idea for… another omake!
> 
> \----------
> 
> Qrow staggered down the street, adroitly avoiding the scurrying forms of small goblins and ghouls.
> 
> "I hate this time of year," he sighed irritably. Too many fucking children running underfoot…
> 
> Finally, he arrived at his destination, the Xiao Long house. Tai was sitting out front, relaxing in his zombie getup and a bowl of candy held at the ready.
> 
> "Hey old man," Qrow grunted, plopping himself down onto the porch and taking a swig from his flask. "How you holding up out here?"
> 
> "Eh, same as always," Tai shrugged easily. "The kids came by with their friends, should be back from their party soon enough."
> 
> "Ruby and her girls too?"
> 
> "Nope, they went out and came back awhile ago."
> 
> Qrow nodded easily before suddenly tilting his head to the side. "What was that?"
> 
> "What was what?"
> 
> "That… sound. Wasn't your usual soundtrack."
> 
> "Uh… yup. Upgrade."
> 
> "Upgrade of your soundtrack?"
> 
> "Exactly."
> 
> "Tai… that sounds like…"
> 
> "My new soundtrack."
> 
> "No, seriously Tai, it's…"
> 
> "MY NEW SOUNDTRACK."
> 
> "Oh." Qrow threw back another slug from his flask, figuring that he'd need it at this point.
> 
> It only gave him enough fortitude to last maybe half a minute more.
> 
> "Okay, yeah, I can't stay here. How can you even… I mean…"
> 
> "I have teenaged daughters, Qrow," the blond man smiled, ever so slightly too widely. "I hear what I want to."
> 
> "Handy talent, that. Right, well…" After a particularly loud moan, the raven-haired man turned and beat a hasty retreat. "Yeah, I'm out. See ya, Tai."
> 
> "Later, Qrow," the blond Hunter replied agreeably, smiling as another group of children, accompanied by their mother, walked up.
> 
> As he passed out the candy, the mother gave him a warm smile.
> 
> "Oh, I like the new soundtrack, Taiyang, very realistic."
> 
> "Thanks," Tai replied, the same too-wide smile affixed to his face. "It's new."
> 
> \----------
> 
> Snort. I amuse myself.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	76. Chapter 76

Ruby, Pyrrha, and Blake stumbled into the dorm room in a tangle of limbs. The brunette was eagerly devouring the raven-haired girl's lips, while the taller redhead was doing an admirable job of creating a record-class hickey on the back of the Cat Faunus' neck. Hands were roaming freely, clothes and hair were in disarray, and there were only six small steps over to the bed…

The trio froze at a not-so-gentle clearing of the throat. Like toddlers caught with a crayon in hand and a wall full of painstakingly created artwork, the three girls leapt apart, excuses and apologies springing to their lips.

Any words they might have uttered died as they noted just how full the room was.

The remainders of both RWBY and JNPR were there, though also augmented by the stalwart presence of Coco and Velvet. Yatsuhashi's absence was likely due to the fact there would have been nowhere to put him, and it was a well-known fact that Fox didn't appreciate small, crowded spaces.

The brunette fashionista stepped to the fore with a solemn, if severe, look on her face.

"Ruby. Blake. Pyrrha. This is an intervention."

"Pardon?" Blake asked blankly as she hurriedly buttoned her school blouse back up.

"Look, guys," Yang sighed, her gaze riveted on a particularly interesting spot on the floor. "It's kinda getting out of hand."

"And if Yang's saying that, you know it's bad," Jaune snickered, earning him a glare from the accused trio.

"What are we talking about, precisely?" Pyrrha interjected. She'd managed to fasten her bra again from outside her still-intact shirt but was struggling to adjust it once more for comfort.

"You three," Nora giggled. "Bangin' all over the damn place."

"Nora!" several voices exclaimed, answered by her muttered "Well, it's true."

Ruby stepped in front of her girlfriends, arms crossed and not even bothering to adjust her skirt that was hiked up to a rather indecent level. "We are not that bad," she defended, ignoring Blake's efforts to discreetly tug said skirt back down to school regulation heights.

"Oh really?" Weiss responded archly. "How many warnings have you received from Professor Goodwitch alone this semester?"

"Eight," Ruby mumbled abashedly.

"Look, I know there's a bet going on and all," Coco interjected, referring to the popular pool as to when in this year they might get Glynda to actually snap and exclaim ' _I am done with this shit_ '. "But seriously, you're the talk of the school, and not in a good way. How long before something like this gets out to the media and paints Beacon as nothing but a group of hormonal, sex-crazed teenagers?"

"Aren't we, though?" Ruby asked curiously.

"That's not the point!" the gatling-gun-toting brunette yelled angrily. She pointed a trembling finger behind her at a rather demure-looking Velvet perched on the edge of the girls' bed. "Do you know what it's like trying to keep up with a Rabbit Faunus who's feeling competitive?"

Coco paused, blushing brightly at the stares that statement got. "Again, not the point," she muttered hurriedly, desperately trying to save face. "Look you three, we're trying to help you before the school drops the hammer on you."

"Well," Pyrrha murmured, shuffling embarrassedly while clasping her hands behind her back. "I suppose we could tone it down a bit…"

"Ah-pupupup!" Weiss cut her off imperiously. "That will not do at all. Two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Blake repeated, her voice full of dread as to what precisely was implicated with that small, innocent-sounding statement.

"Two weeks," the platinum-haired girl nodded firmly. "No sex. Prove to us you can do that and we'll stop hounding you about this."

"Two… weeks…" Pyrrha wailed with a soft moan, her emerald eyes full of horror.

"Fine, we'll do it."

Both the Cat Faunus and redhead whipped their gazes around to regard the third member of their relationship.

"We… will?" Blake asked incredulously.

"Yep, we will. We'll prove to you guys our relationship is about more than just the sex," Ruby declared proudly.

"Alright then," Coco nodded.

"We're doomed," Pyrrha whispered disconsolately.

* * *

It didn't take long for the industrious students at Beacon to start a betting pool as to who would crack first and when. As likely the most impartial of all, Ren was chosen to be the keeper of the list. He carried his little black book around incessantly, resigned to being stopped at all hours of the day and night for new or updated entries.

For their part, the three girls who were subjected to such scrutiny started out strong, opting to spend some extra time studying or training, but also enjoying each other's company in a more innocuous manner, even going so far as to go out on a dinner date in Vale. Their enjoyment was dampened somewhat by the presence of a pair of chaperones in the form of Coco and Velvet who dined at an adjoining table.

By the fourth day, tensions were running a little high.

It started out innocently enough with a subtle tease that was commonplace amongst them. Over the breakfast table, Blake removed her shoe and ran her bare foot along Pyrrha's leg. The redhead's eyes bulged out slightly, and then narrowed dangerously. Her hand crept over and rested on Blake's knee, dipping under the hemline of her skirt and tracing small, aimless patterns.

Not to be outdone, Ruby decided to finish off her breakfast in as suggestive a manner as possible.

From then on, of course, they came to an unspoken agreement to make a game of it. A very dangerous, sexy game.

Pyrrha made a habit of coming up behind her girlfriends and giving them quick kisses, oftentimes accompanied by an equally swift lick, on the back of their necks, one of her favorite spots to lavish attention on. Ruby would occasionally during class lean over and whisper a few more salacious activities she was thinking about, or that they might engage in after their probation period was up. While Blake…

The Cat Faunus was well-known throughout the school as an avid reader. Many also knew of the more saucy nature of some of her favorite bits of literature. What most did not know of was her skill at crafting bits of poetry that were every bit as lewd as the books she read. She'd leave the snippets inside her lovers' notes, in their weapons lockers, on the pillow, tucked inside their textbooks. Even once in lipstick on the bathroom mirror (much to Weiss' displeasure and Yang's amusement).

By the end of the first week, things had escalated as such things tended to do, all the while monitored by a rotating selection of chaperones (though Coco begged off finally, claiming that her girlfriend was getting entirely too many ideas for her comfort or stamina). Pyrrha became quite adroit at sneaking small, sultry bits of affection upon the other two, going so far as to unabashedly pinch Blake's behind in the hallway once. Ruby took to wearing her exercise outfit of biker shorts and a sports bra around as much as possible, and classes were an unending litany of murmured sexual wet dreams. Blake's imagination was stretched to the limit, and she began to just copy the more erotic passages from her books. The only safe zone throughout all of this was, ironically enough, their bed at night, as things were far too easily escalated there.

Things came to a head Saturday afternoon in their dorm room. For once there was no chaperone present, and Ruby was quite close to losing her sanity.

"Alright, that's it," she snapped, leaping to her feet from her desk chair with an uncharacteristic scowl on her face. Pyrrha stepped back innocently, not at all about to acknowledge the quick grope she'd managed to sneak in from behind.

"Problem, little rose?" Blake smirked. She'd had a brief conversation with Velvet earlier, confirming her cut of the betting pool if Ruby were the first to pounce on either of her lovers.

Growling wordlessly, Ruby turned her back to them, kicked her chair away, leaned over her desk while supporting her weight on one arm, and slipped a hand up her skirt.

It was quite obvious to both Pyrrha and Blake exactly where that hand now was. It was just as obvious, by the sounds and hip motions, what she was doing. The redhead slowly lowered herself to the edge of the bed, eyes riveted on the sight and lips parted slightly. Blake remained at the head of the bed, book forgotten and biting her bottom lip hard enough almost to draw blood.

When Ruby was finished, letting out an explosive gasp, she trembled slightly where she was now slumped. With some effort she managed to lever herself up, not looking at the others as she headed for the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind her.

"To quote our little rose," Pyrrha murmured wondrously. "Fuck me sideways with a dust shard."

"Ditto," Blake breathed, blinking her eyes rapidly.

When Ruby returned, she stood her chair upright and sat down once more as if nothing happened, seemingly oblivious to the stares boring holes into the back of her head.

Pyrrha was the first to leap to her feet. "Gym," she stated absent-mindedly, fleeing from the room.

The Cat Faunus was soon to depart next, grabbing a random assortment of textbooks. "Library," she stated levelly.

When the door had closed, Ruby finally allowed the wide, shit-eating, satisfied smirk to spread across her face.

* * *

"We need to talk, Rubes," her sister announced the next day. The three of them had declared a temporary truce, splitting up to engage in separate activities. Pyrrha had spent an inordinate amount of time working out both her muscles and her sexual frustrations, while Blake kept her nose buried in books of one form or another.

Ruby, for her part, did a little of both, actually catching up with the majority of her schoolwork, and in a few cases ahead of schedule.

The brunette, alone in the room with both Yang and Weiss, set her adventure novel aside and regarded the other two levelly. "Sure, what's up?"

Yang sighed heavily, plopping down on the bed next to Ruby. "So, look. I know we have this thing going on with the no sex and all… and I know you guys have been sticking to, well…"

"You have adhered to the bare letter of the agreement," Weiss intoned darkly.

"Right, that," the blonde continued. "But, here's the thing." She sighed once more. "You're making us all crazy. All the teasing, the innuendos… Do you know how hard it is for me to concentrate in class on a good day?"

"Are you asking me to take a dive?" Ruby asked incredulously.

"No no no, not at all," Yang replied, waving her hands in front of her face before exchanging a guilty look with her girlfriend.

"Hmm." Ruby regarded the pair. The rules of the pool were that those involved could not be told of the exact bets placed unless they happened to infer them on their own. Meaning neither Yang nor Weiss could tell her outright what they'd bet upon. She had an inkling, though, that her sister and partner both held a certain amount of respect for her dominance and willpower, having witnessed them firsthand on several occasions.

"I'm gonna hazard a guess here. You guys didn't bet on somebody breaking, but on somebody being the one _not_ to break. Namely, me." She grinned at the knowing smiles that graced the other two girls' faces. "So, for you to win the bet, either Pyrrha or Blake has to break first."

The brunette leaned back, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Half."

"What?" Weiss sputtered incredulously. "Not a chance. Third."

"Third and the room for the rest of tonight. Go get a hotel room with your share."

"Seem pretty confident there, Rubes," Yang snickered.

Ruby nodded, her grin turning into a smirk. "I'd say the pool would go entirely to you if both Pyrrha and Blake broke at the same time, wouldn't you?"

Yang gaped at her sister. "I am humbled once again," she intoned solemnly. "Do I wanna know how you're gonna pull this off?"

"Nope," Ruby returned. "I'm going to save your mental health and have Weiss stick around to witness."

"Why me?" Weiss asked curiously.

"'Cause I know you're a closet voyeur," the brunette giggled.

"I… I'm not… I never…" Weiss stammered, blushing furiously. "Shut up!"

Plans were made and messages sent to both Blake and Pyrrha requesting their help on the group project due next week. Weiss was the only occupant of the room aside from Ruby as the other two entered together. They paused at the doorway, suspiciously eyeing Ruby who was sitting against the wall on the bed and in her red silken robe.

The brunette offered them an innocent smile, raising a sheaf of papers up in front of her. "Hey guys! Ready to get started?"

Blake shrugged, reassured by the presence of Weiss who, though still clad in her street clothes, looked to be quite comfortable while working on a paper of her own. The platinum-haired girl gave them an aimless wave without looking up. Ruby, for her part, was practically radiating an earnest virtuousness through the Mark.

Soon enough Blake and Pyrrha were on either side of their lover, maintaining enough of a distance that they weren't rubbing up against each other. They dove headlong into the assignment for their dust mechanics class, quickly losing themselves in the work.

After a good half hour of collaborating, Ruby decided to enact the first stage.

She let out a falsely irritated huff. "It's warm in here," she murmured, shrugging her robe off and revealing the skimpy red lingerie underneath.

Blake paused mid-word from her explanation of some terminology, her mouth left hanging open as she stared at the considerable cleavage now exposed. Pyrrha was likewise stunned, anything resembling a coherent thought fleeing from her head like smoke on the wind.

Smirking slightly, and well aware of Weiss' pale blue eyes now riveted on the scene, Ruby quickly engaged in the second portion of the plan, nonchalantly knocking her pencil off the end of the bed.

"Oops," she giggled, rising to all fours and wiggling forward to retrieve it.

As she expected, she was simultaneously pounced by both of her lovers and dragged back onto the bed. To her credit, Weiss only hesitated a moment (or perhaps several) before fleeing the room.

It was fortunate that Ruby had requested the room for the rest of the evening, as the three of them had an inordinate amount of frustration to work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus chapter from the beach. The creative juices were flowing steadily, though I actually haven't had as much time to write as I would have liked. Granted, I've been greatly enjoying the hammock on the porch here… Anyways, just a bit of fun humorous fluff. I had entirely too much fun with this chapter. Seriously, I keep rereading it, and I think this might just be my favorite chapter.
> 
> Some parts of this were influenced by the wonderful The Gentle Art of Making Enemies, props to that excellent fic, definitely worth a read here on AO3.
> 
> But wait, there's more! Thanks to the very excellent NobleMETA who came up with an alternate ending to this chapter, I now present you with another omake!
> 
> \----------
> 
> "Ren!" an irate orange-haired hammer-wielder barked out as she strode into the cafeteria. "We need to talk!"
> 
> The raven-haired boy paused in the process of taking a bite from his lunch. "Yes, Nora?"
> 
> She plopped herself down next to her boyfriend, eyeing him with some degree of suspicion. "What's the deal with the pool?"
> 
> "Which one, love? The one regarding Ozpin's mug and what it contains?"
> 
> "Nope!"
> 
> "Glynda cracking by year's end?"
> 
> "Again, nope, though we're making some progress there." Her turquoise eyes lit up with glee. "The posters of her and Oz together with hearts drawn over their heads seemed to have worked, Jaune passed her today and he could have sworn he saw her eye twitching!"
> 
> Ren nodded calmly, taking another bite of his sandwich. "How long did she leave it up?"
> 
> "Oh, y'know, only the half hour it took until she saw it." Nora snickered merrily as she swiveled around in a full circle on the bench, knees upraised. "She used her semblance to make confetti outta it, was pretty hilarious. But anyways! I'm talking about the sex pool!"
> 
> "Is that what it was called?" Ruby called out humorously as she approached the table with her lunch tray, the rest of her team and that of JNPR in tow.
> 
> Blake hummed quietly as she sat down next to Ren, Ruby next to her and Pyrrha directly across. "Not very creative."
> 
> "And it sounds more like a midnight activity over in the gymnasium," Pyrrha added, her emerald eyes twinkling with humor.
> 
> Both Ruby and Blake shared a giggle at that. "Why, fluffy fox, that sounds like a proposal to me," the brunette replied coyly.
> 
> "It's really not all that," Yang mumbled around her triple-stacked sandwich. "Too slippery."
> 
> Weiss' face flushed a bright scarlet. "Yes, anyway, what were we discussing about the betting pool?" the heiress hastily interjected. "Because I have not heard who the winner was."
> 
> Ren nodded sagely. "They lasted the two weeks," he replied as if that explained everything.
> 
> "Riiight," Nora drawled. "And yeah, we were all more shocked at that than when Jaune actually scored a girlfriend, but then who won?"
> 
> Ren swallowed his bite before resuming, ignoring his blond team leader's irritable huff. "Out of the entire student body, only three individuals picked for them to not break before the end of the two weeks."
> 
> "So then who…?" The orange-haired girl leaned over, open-mouthed, to gape at Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha, all of whom wore very smug looks on their faces.
> 
> "You three?" Weiss exclaimed in disbelief.
> 
> Pyrrha had the grace to look slightly abashed. "Well, yes, there were no rules against us participating."
> 
> "It was a lot of lien," Blake added, grinning widely.
> 
> Ruby giggled as she leaned over to give Blake a kiss on her cheek. "And we have so many fun ways to spend it all!"
> 
> \----------
> 
> I know, right, two omakes in a row?
> 
> Stay shiny!


	77. Chapter 77

Blake had her nose buried in the latest installment of _Ninjas of Love_ , a guilty pleasure of hers that she adamantly clung to even though the reality in her life was far superior to anything written, when the door to the dorm room burst open. She glanced up to spy her brunette girlfriend standing in the middle of the room, glancing about frantically.

"Blakey, I need your help!" she whispered harshly.

Sighing, the Cat Faunus marked her page, sat the book to the side, and rolled gracefully to her feet. "What's the matter, little rose?"

Ruby grabbed hold of her wrist and wordlessly dragged her out of the room and across the hall. Team JNPR's dorm room was deserted, which Blake found to be curious considering the shorter girl had been in there previously.

They stopped at the side of Pyrrha's bed, never used by the redhead anymore save for studying or weapon's maintenance. Ruby let go of her hand, tearfully indicating the collection of bronze pieces laid out on top of the covers.

She regarded the pile levelly, trying to ascertain what they might have compromised once assembled until her eyes grew wide. "Um, Ruby… Was this Pyrrha's headpiece?"

"Yes!" the brunette finally wailed. "I was… I was trying to clean it, since she doesn't wear it much anymore, figured it'd gotten a little tarnished, right? Only…" She sniffled inconsolably. "I think I broke it."

"...Broke it?"

"Well, the parts don't go back together right."

"I… see."

"I've been trying for half an hour now…"

"Well," Blake sighed, curling up at one end of the bed and picking up one shiny metallic piece. It was slightly curved and with joints at each end. "I truly didn't think it disassembled this much."

"Yeah, um… I don't think it was supposed to."

"Oh. Well, between the two of us, perhaps?" Blake opined hopefully.

"Yeah…" Ruby sniffled morosely. "I know how much this headpiece means to her, I mean, she used to wear it all the time, right?"

Blake nodded absent-mindedly as she picked up random pieces and tried to line them up together. "What do you suppose that meaning was?"

"Um, I dunno." Ruby examined an odd piece of chain. "Huh, I don't even remember this one… Yeah, so all I know is how she's worn it ever since I first met her at orientation."

"Mmm." The Cat Faunus regarded the largest piece of curved metal, deciding it was as good a place as any to start. "But she seemed to stop wearing it last year."

"Yeah, I guess she did… like, close to the end of the year, right?"

"It would seem that way. Why is this so difficult?"

"I know, right?" Ruby huffed out irritably. "I mean, I can disassemble _Crescent Rose_ down to every single individual rivet while blindfolded, but this? A simple headpiece defeats me."

Blake sighed and shook her head, bending down to focus on their work.

* * *

Perhaps an hour later, both girls were on the verge of tears.

"I just don't understand it!" Ruby exclaimed, holding up some sort of bronze Mobius chain in front of her face.

Blake placed her hands over her face and screamed into them in frustration.

It was at that point that a very frantic-looking Pyrrha entered the room.

"What is wrong?" she exclaimed, seemingly on the verge of a panic. "I was on my way back from town when I felt the two of you, I've been so worried!"

"I'm… I'm sorry, Pyrrha," Ruby moaned, her lower lip trembling as she and Blake held up the pieces of disconnected bronze. "I t- tried to put it b- back together, and it just won't fit!"

The redhead stood there, stunned, before a soft smile formed across her face. "Oh, my loves," she sighed affectionately as she crouched in between the two of them and enveloped both in a warm hug. "Whyever were you so concerned about this?"

"Because we knew how important it was for you," Blake murmured sadly.

Pyrrha leaned back, her smile widening. "It wasn't all that important, really, and certainly not worth so much stress and frustration. Here." She took up the pieces and held them in the palm of her hand. They glowed briefly before rearranging into the familiar shape of her headpiece.

"Figures," Ruby sighed. "Should have just waited for you."

"Fluffy fox," Blake began hesitantly. "Why don't you wear this anymore?"

"Oh, well…" The redhead moved around so that the three of them were sitting against the head of her old bed and with her arms around each of their shoulders. "I suppose at one time it had a certain amount of meaning for me, and I wore it in remembrance of a promise."

"A promise?" Ruby repeated softly, leaning her head against her taller lover's shoulder.

"Mmhmm. A promise to be the best I could be, one made to a very dear mentor of mine from school. I took that to mean the best student, the best Huntress, the best Champion. But then…" Pyrrha smiled softly. "Then I fell in love you the two of you, and I slowly realized that being the best I could be didn't necessarily mean any of those."

Blake closed her eyes, soaking in the multitude of offered emotions from the redhead.

_Contentment. Love. Adoration. Safe. Eternity. Warmth._

"Over the summer it became firm in my mind that the two of you are the greatest accomplishment in my life, keeping and being worthy of your love," Pyrrha continued softly, blinking back her tears of happiness. "And now that we are Mated, bound together, sharing in our emotions and love in ways I never knew was possible… I have no need of a headpiece to remind me of this promise. I carry a reminder in my heart, and on the back of my left shoulder."

Ruby sighed contentedly as she burrowed in closer. "I just kinda wish Blakey had a Mark too," she murmured.

"That's not how it works, little rose," Blake reminded her. "Only a Faunus can create the Mark."

"Oh, I know, kitty cat, not complaining really. Believe me, I'm more than happy being Marked as yours."

"As am I," Pyrrha added softly.

The three of them sat like that on an unfamiliar bed in a room they rarely visited much anymore, just content in savoring the bond that they shared.

"If I may ask," the redhead spoke up after some time, "why was it you disassembled my headpiece?"

"Um, heh heh," Ruby chuckled in embarrassment. "I cleaned it?"

"And that required taking it apart?"

"Well, it works that way for weapons…"

Pyrrha laughed softly, pressing her lips onto the brunette's forehead. "I love you two so much," she sighed indulgently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to create a new headcanon on the headpiece as an explanation for why I don't really mention such an iconic piece of Pyrrha's outfit much. So there we go.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	78. Chapter 78

The first snowfall of the season, even if unseasonably early, was always a cause for celebration among students. While classes were rarely canceled, there were rare and opportune times when said snow would make its appearance on a weekend, such as today.

It wasn't a deep pile by any means, only a couple of inches, but it was certainly enough for the teenagers to engage in their favorite wintertime activity.

"Incoming!" Ruby squealed, sliding past in a flurry of rose petals.

Blake ducked her head back just in time to avoid yet another snowball thrown with pinpoint accuracy.

"For a blind man, Fox has rather impressive aim," she commented mildly.

"Uncanny, one might say," Pyrrha agreed.

Ruby huffed as she scrambled from where she'd ended up against a tree. She plopped herself next to the others behind their makeshift barricade. "Whelp, it's official," she stated cheerfully. "We're completely outnumbered."

"Is there nobody at all on our side?" the redhead asked incredulously.

"Oh, well, Yang and Weiss, but they're cut off." Ruby grinned widely. "Figured we'd leave them behind as a distraction while we flee with our lives."

"What?" Blake protested. "Retreat? Never!" The Cat Faunus poked her head up once more, but before she could fling the snowball in her fist, she flopped backward from a direct hit to the forehead. "Ow," she murmured. "Nora has quite the arm."

Pyrrha edged around the other end of the snow-covered hedge. "We shall remember this treachery!" she called out to her team. She ducked back quickly as another barrage was sent her way.

"So, we fight to the bitter end?" Ruby asked.

"Naturally," Blake responded, sitting back up and brushing the snow from her hair. "Who exactly is opposing us?"

"Um… about half the school give or take?" Ruby replied sheepishly.

"What?" Pyrrha sputtered. "How did we get everyone against us like that?"

"I think it might have had a little to do with Yang," the brunette replied, rubbing the back of her neck.

Blake shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose as a projectile arced over her head, missing by a hair's breadth. "What did she do now?"

"Um, I think there was some boasting. Maybe some insults." Ruby chuckled nervously. "Personally, I think the mooning was a bit overboard, but she got a snowball up her butt, so that was funny."

Blake and Pyrrha snorted humorously. "Now _that_ I would have paid good lien to see," the raven-haired girl chuckled.

"Pretty sure Weiss got it on camera." Ruby shook her head. "I don't ever want to hear from them again how weird they think _our_ relationship is. So, ready for the plan?"

"Lead on, oh fearless one," Pyrrha declared.

"Right. We use Yang and Weiss as a distraction, and run."

"No retreating," Blake reminded her.

"Okay, then, we use them as a distraction and then charge headlong into certain death?"

"That's more like it!"

Nodding resolutely, Ruby peeked over the hedge. "Yang, Weiss! You guys still alive?"

"Naturally," Weiss called back merrily.

"Heya Rubes, figured you lot would have abandoned us by now!" Yang cheered.

"What? Never!" Ruby protested, ignoring the scolding looks from her girlfriends. "We're gonna go with plan C soon, though! You ready?"

"Wait, what was plan A?" her partner yelled back.

"That was when we all ran away like cowards!"

"Oh. What about B?"

"We sacrifice you to the Beowolves and then just us hightail it."

"I thought you were not ever going to abandon us?" Weiss shouted back accusingly.

"And that's why we're doing C!" Ruby reassured her. "Ready?"

"Ready!" her blonde sister hollered back.

"On Banzai!" Ruby began. "Ready, set…"

"Banzai!" five voices exclaimed as they hurtled themselves around their barriers, snowballs in hand and giggling enthusiastically.

Ruby sped back and forth, scooping up and flinging snowy projectiles as she went, making up in volume what she lacked in accuracy. Pyrrha added to the suppressing fire, darting from tree to tree on the way to their objective. Blake would allow her shadow clones to absorb several hits as she skipped out of the way of each powerful throw from Yatsuhashi, who seemed to be intent on bringing the Cat Faunus down.

Across from them, Yang and Weiss advanced side-by-side. The blonde was blazing brightly, her semblance melting away the incoming fire but still managing to soak her, while the heiress kept glyphs up and moving to intercept thrown snowballs.

"Weiss!" the brunette shouted. "Hit 'em!"

With an anticipatory grin, Weiss crouched down behind Yang, resting her hand on the ground while clutching a shard of ice dust. The snow in the vicinity was thrust upwards from a massive white glyph, magnifying in size until it was deflected outward by yet another glyph. The artillery barrage was relentless, providing enough of a break for Ruby, Pyrrha, and Blake to advance to a dubious shelter right at the edge of the snowy battlements erected by the opposing army.

"Okay!" Ruby cheered. "We'll cover while you move up, okay guys?" She paused when there was no answer. "Um, guys?"

"I think we've been used," Pyrrha sighed, noting a distinct absence of either blonde or platinum-haired girls.

"Dust-damn-it-all, that was plan F!" Ruby yelled irritably. "We weren't even past D yet!"

"That's because nobody wanted plan D," Blake sighed, curled up into a little ball to avoid the projectiles now coming in fast and furious. "You were the only one who liked plan D."

"How can you say that?" Ruby exclaimed. "Plan D was awesome!"

"And would have closed the school for a month," Pyrrha interjected.

"Pfft, nah, only if it went wrong. What could have gone wrong?"

She cheerfully ignored the level glares the other two girls sent her way.

"Okay, well, I think we should go for it. C is a bust."

"Ruby…" Blake implored.

"Nope, I'm goin' for it." Without further ado, Ruby whipped out her weapon in sniper rifle form, grabbing an unstable uncut shard of ice dust from her pocket. She flung the shard upwards, stepping out to fire when it was precisely over the heads of their opponents.

Of course, as soon as she emerged, she was struck by a barrage of highly-accurate and hard-hitting snowballs, sending her flailing backward and knocking _Crescent Rose_ out of her hands.

The sputtering brunette sat up, shaking the snow from her hair, and just in time to see her shard on a return trajectory, thrown by a smirking Velvet. Ren was at her side, one of his paired guns raised and tracking the projectile steadily.

"Oh, kittens," she murmured.

Perhaps it wasn't all that great an idea after all.

While the outcome of plan D wasn't as drastic as previously predicted, it was still fairly disastrous for the three girls. They were eventually extracted from the massive snowdrift, none the worse physically, though each was thoroughly disgruntled.

An apologetic note left behind in their room informed them that Yang and Weiss had decided to spend the evening in town, at least allowing them to warm each up once more in their most favorite way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as epic a snowball fight as that from Yuletide Lemonade, but pretty decent nonetheless.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	79. Chapter 79

Ruby giggled merrily as she skipped ahead of the small group of girls. "Come on you guys!" she called out over her shoulder, narrowly missing bumping into another petite girl walking determinedly in the other direction. "Bakery is right down the street."

"We know, little rose," Pyrrha called back affectionately from where she strode in the rear of the procession, hand-in-hand with Blake. "You might have mentioned it once or twice in the past block."

"More like a dozen times," Yang snickered. "Don't know the two of you keep up with her, as many sweets as you ply her with."

"You, of all people, should know how effective trying to regulate her sugar intake is," Blake retorted levelly.

"Well, _I've_ never had a problem doing so," Weiss replied loftily. "In fact- _oof_!"

The platinum-haired girl broke off in a huff as her waist was suddenly encircled by a pair of small arms. Framed by black pigtails, emerald eyes twinkled up at her merrily above a wide smile.

"N- Neo!" Weiss exclaimed, blushing brightly. "Er, I mean… Cherry! What are you doing here, Cherry?"

In a flash of rose petals, Ruby was there and eyeing her partner, and attached girl, suspiciously.

" _What_ was that?" the brunette demanded.

"Er, what was what?" Weiss replied, trying to both maintain her innocence and play off the very clingy little girl who was now nuzzling into her modest bosom, eliciting further blushes from the heiress.

Ruby crossed her arms and gave her partner a smirk. "For starters, you have a girl I have never seen before hugging you. _Hugging_ you, Weiss! I used to have to fill out a form in triplicate to hug you!"

"Oh, now, she wasn't that bad," Yang said, a blush of her own gracing her features. At the sound of her voice, the girl, Cherry, perked up and switched targets to glomp the blonde next. Problem being, at the much smaller girl's height, her head managed to push Yang's boobs up enough to practically pop out of her bra. "Heh heh, hey there, Cherry, been awhile…"

"Not that bad?" Ruby protested, though she was unable to keep a grin from creeping up on her face. "I had to sit through a lesson on hygiene once!"

"I thought it was quite informative," Weiss muttered abashedly.

Pyrrha tugged on Blake's hand towards a nearby bench. "We may as well get comfortable," the redhead murmured, pulling her girlfriend down with her. Blake released her hand to slip an arm around the taller girl's waist and lean her head on her shoulder.

"Mmm. I suppose so. Wish we'd brought some popcorn."

"I have peanuts in my purse…"

"Oh, how thoughtful, thank you, love."

"And secondly!" Ruby exclaimed, still with a full head of steam going. "You… and her… and Yang… Oh my Oum!" she squealed suddenly, her silver eyes wide and bright. "Did… Did you have a threesome!?"

Weiss glanced down at the ground, blushing even more brightly as Cherry moved over to latch onto her once more, though this time the platinum-haired girl returned the hug with a soft smile. "Er… it was a birthday present?" she explained weakly.

"Damn," Blake murmured, popping another peanut in her mouth. "This is better than a soap opera."

"Right?" Pyrrha smirked.

Without warning, Ruby hurtled herself forward to give Weiss a hug, somehow ignoring the smaller girl sandwiched in between them. "I'm so proud of you," the brunette whispered brokenly. "My little Weissy is all grown up."

"Um, Rubes," Yang interjected hesitantly. "You're kinda squishing our, um… friend."

"I'm still not quite sure what's going on, though," Blake continued her commentary. "I mean, is this an alternate dimension we've stumbled upon?"

"No, no it all seems quite normal externally, kitty cat."

"Perhaps we've been driven to the brink of madness?"

"Well, if so, then it's a trip we'll take together."

"Aww, you're so sweet, fluffy fox," Blake grinned, leaning up to give the redhead a quick peck on her cheek.

"Wait!" Ruby shouted, leaping apart from her embrace and causing all those assembled to jump in surprise. "That's the other thing! You called her… Neo!"

"I didn't… I mean…" Weiss sputtered, looking to Yang for support, who ever-so-helpfully gave her a helpless shrug.

The smaller raven-haired girl, deciding to take matters in her own hands, smiled serenely up at Ruby and blinked her eyes, They quickly changed to a heterochromatic pink and brown before reverting to emerald green once more.

"Ah ha!" the brunette declared, pointing a trembling finger at the short girl, who'd once again changed the object of her hug, rubbing her cheek into Yang's midsection happily. For her part, the blonde had a wide, goofy smile on her face.

"Neo, where did you get to?" a newcomer's voice broke in from around the corner behind them. Roman Torchwick came into view soon enough and stopped in his tracks. "Oh, for-"

"AH HA!" Ruby yelled triumphantly, now extending her finger back towards the carrot-topped man.

"If this _were_ a soap opera," Pyrrha whispered excitedly, "he'd end up being someone's uncle."

"Or long-lost brother," Blake agreed.

"Or perhaps a jilted lover?"

They shared a quick shudder. "No," they agreed.

"Neo, what's all this, then?" Roman exclaimed irritably. "What are you… and them… Oh, Dust, that hook-up you kept talking about was _those_ two?"

"Hey!" Weiss protested indignantly. "What's wrong with us?"

"Uh, well, let's see, Ice Queen," he replied sarcastically. "Wrong side, for starters."

Neo turned towards him, her earlier grin evaporated into a fierce scowl as she crossed her arms and stomped a foot.

"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady…"

"Okay!" Ruby shouted, standing in the middle of everyone with her arms outstretched. "Just… let's back off for a second." She turned towards the three girls, all three of whom were now standing close together. "So… Yang... and Weiss… hooked up with Neo?"

"Um…" Yang hedged, before simply nodding. "Yup, that about sums it up."

Ruby eyed the short raven-haired girl closely.

Neo gave her a brilliant smile in return.

"Okay, I have some stipulations to lay down," the brunette finally declared firmly.

"Yes, because our little rose is _all_ about the stipulations," Pyrrha giggled.

"Indeed," her raven-haired girlfriend murmured. "Oh, shoot, we ran out of peanuts."

"Granola bar?"

"No thank you, love, I can wait for the bakery." Blake paused consideringly. "If we ever get there."

"So, if you're gonna be hooking up with my sister and my partner," Ruby began sternly, her fists on her hips, "that means no trying to murder any of us or our friends."

Neo tilted her head with a thoughtful expression on her face. After only a heartbeat, she grinned once more and nodded firmly.

The brunette team leader nodded as well and stepped forward with her hand outstretched. The two solemnly shook on their deal.

"As for you," Ruby declared, turning to the bemused Roman.

"Oh, _this_ should be good…" the cane-wielding man complained.

"While you're hanging out with us, no bad guy stuff, and we won't turn you in!"

"Wait, what?" he sputtered, tilting his bowler hat back on his head. "Whyever would I be 'hanging out' with you kids?"

"Roman, Roman, Roman," the brunette intoned, stepping over to him. She laid a hand on his shoulder and turned to gesture grandly towards the widely-smiling trio of girls. "What do you see there?"

"A bunch of suckers, if you ask me," he grumbled.

"Roman…"

"Fine, yeah I get it, Neo's happy, I'm not gonna interfere with that," the criminal mastermind sighed irritably. "How the mighty have fallen," he muttered darkly.

"Great!" Ruby cheered. "Let's all go get treats at the bakery!" She skipped forward and pulled her girlfriends off of the bench, dragging them along. "Dessert's on Roman!"

"What? Since when?"

"Since you're the oldest!"

" _You're the oldest_ ," he repeated mockingly, trailing behind the laughing group of six girls. "Bloody kids…"

He managed to bump into a well-to-do looking man on the way, effortlessly lifting the wallet from his pocket. With deft fingers, he slipped the lien out and dropped it to the ground just a foot from his mark.

"I saw that!" Ruby yelled back.

"No, you didn't!" Roman replied irritably. "And besides, how else am I gonna pay for you brats?"

Neo broke away from Weiss and Yang to skip back and launch herself into Roman's arms. The scoundrel paused, an uncharacteristically soft smile crossing his features. "Alright, m'dear," he said soothingly. "I'll stop being such a grump. Go have fun."

The small girl gave him one last squeeze and a brilliant smile before darting into the bakery, right on the heels of Weiss as Yang held the door for them.

Roman pulled out a cigar and regarded it levelly before tucking it back away once more and heading for the door where the others had disappeared. "Never in a million years woulda expected today to turn out like this," he mused. He paused with his hand on the handle. "What the hey, it couldn't hurt to have a bunch of huntresses who won't shoot me on sight, right?"

Sardonic grin firmly in place, he entered the bakery to the sounds of girlish cheers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how this will be received. Obviously, it ties into a certain chapter within A Thorny Bind, and it just as obviously breaks my rule about there being no bad guy characters in here… But I couldn't help myself, I was giggling maniacally the whole time I was writing it. Actually had an entirely different chapter already done to post, but I wrote this when I got home last night. Lemme know what you think, bad or good.
> 
> Oh, and when I originally wrote this over on FF.net, I realized there was no ship name for Weiss x Yang x Neo. Leaping into action, a poll was created on my author's page, and the results entered into the official ship sheet as declared by the /r/RWBY subreddit. In first place was Weiss Cream Sandwich, while close behind were Strawberry Twist and Weisscream Flambé.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	80. Chapter 80

"You want to do _what_ now?" Weiss prompted curiously.

Her partner gave her an eager grin. "Ice hockey!"

"And have you ever tried it before?"

"Nope! That's part of the fun, I mean, only Yang and Pyrrha have ever done it before, so we'll stick them on opposite teams…" Ruby gave the platinum-haired girl her best winsome smile. "Doesn't it sound like fun?"

"Er, yes, I suppose so…"

"Well, come on then!" the brunette exclaimed, dragging Weiss up by her arm as she let out an irritable _squawk_. "That ice ain't gonna wait forever!"

"Ruby Rose unhand me this instant!" Weiss hissed angrily.

The excitable girl immediately complied, glancing guiltily about the library. "Oops," she whispered. "Sorry."

With a more-or-less affectionate huff, Weiss gathered her books and study materials up and followed her skipping partner back to the dorms. Exams were only a week or so away, but surprisingly, every one of their friends seemed to be fairly well prepared already.

Of course, the heiress wouldn't put it past their professors to introduce new material right before they were tested on them. Because professors, as a profession, were evil like that.

Once inside their dorm room, Weiss dropped her books off on her desk before eyeing Ruby curiously where she was fishing under her bed. "Lost your skates?"

"No," the muffled reply came back. Weiss waited patiently for another five minutes, perusing a rather enjoyable novel that Blake had recommended to 'spice' things up between her and Yang when Ruby finally pulled her head back, red-tipped hair disheveled and a disgruntled look on her face.

"Yes," she finally admitted.

"Top shelf of your closet," Weiss replied distractedly. "Fetch mine for me as well, would you?"

She magnanimously ignored the numerous grumbles that emerged from the closet as Ruby attempted to reach the top shelf.

"I thought you grew those two inches over the summer?" Weiss interjected without a single trace of spite whatsoever. "Surely you can reach the shelf now?"

Ruby stalked past her once more to retrieve a chair and pull it over to the closet. She may or may not have given the heiress a rather dark look, but Weiss was above noticing such things. Or smirking, for that matter.

Eventually, with ice skates in hand, the partners strode outside in winter gear to meet up with the others. At the pond on the edge of the Forever Fall forest, Blake and Nora sat chatting idly.

Weiss immediately noted a certain lack of appropriate surface for their activity, which Ruby belatedly picked up on right before she attempted to set foot on it.

"Where'd the ice go?" the brunette complained loudly.

Blake sauntered over and gave her girlfriend a quick kiss. "It seems to have melted since this morning. Sorry, little rose."

The platinum-haired girl gave them a small, triumphant smile as she pulled _Myrtenaster_ from her side and spun the dust cylinder. "Don't worry, girls, I have this."

She stepped over and plunged the blade into the water, activating the ice dust and freezing it solid.

"Yay, Weiss!" Ruby cheered, giving her a tight hug and almost bowling her over. "You saved the ice hockey game!"

"Songs shall be written of this day," Blake deadpanned with only the trace of a smirk evident.

"Oh, hush," Weiss chided amicably to her friend. "Now, where are… Wait, where did Nora go? She was just here! And where are the others?"

"Gettin' changed," Ruby shrugged. "Nora probably went to fetch Pyrrha, Yang should be out right about… now!"

Sure enough, the blonde brawler marched out from the treeline, tossing a duffel bag to the side. She was fully geared in pads, skates, and helmet, and bore a yellow-and-black striped hockey stick.

"Why am I not surprised," Weiss sighed, one eyebrow regally arched.

"Hey, if I'm gonna play hockey," Yang grinned. "I'm gonna _play_ hockey." She skated out on the ice to the edge where Weiss stood, tilting her visor up to give the heiress a brief, searing kiss. "You ready for this, babe?"

Weiss grinned back. "Bring it on, love."

Ten minutes later and Weiss was seriously reconsidering her earlier stance.

Fortunately, Pyrrha was the only other one in full gear, having borrowed the set from the Beacon Athletic Department (Weiss never knew there was such a thing, much less that they had equipment to borrow). But with the highly competitive way that Yang and the redhead were facing off, she decided perhaps it would be best not to get in the middle of all that.

She was a decent enough skater, true, but she'd keep a glyph or two ready just in case.

Across from her, Ruby and Blake grinned widely while brandishing their sticks. "Ready?" the brunette called out.

"Born ready!" Nora hollered back excitedly.

The puck was dropped in between the two heavily-armored combatants, and the battle ensued.

Several things became quickly apparent. Ruby, for all of her speed, was at a severe disadvantage while using her semblance on the ice, as she bemoaned every time she ended up face-first in a snowbank on the side of the ice. Nora was like a bull in a china shop, charging forward in a straight line before she either collided with something or ran out of ice.

Pyrrha and Yang, hypercompetitive as always, were locked into such furious combat that they often ignored the puck as it sailed past them.

Which left Weiss and Blake.

The heiress had spent much of her life on skates, it was one of the few forms of recreation she was allowed outside of combat and music lessons and her studies. So she was certainly no slouch. However, she was rather surprised at the agility Blake demonstrated, largely due to her own semblance.

Just when Weiss thought she'd gotten a good angle, thrusting forward with her incredibly awkward stick ( _Did nobody make hockey sticks for short people?_ ) Blake would abruptly change course with the puck, letting a shadow image propel her off and into her new path.

The Cat Faunus had made several goals before the heiress decided enough was enough.

The next time she had the puck, Weiss propelled herself forward with a white glyph, shooting across the ice with dizzying speed until her forward momentum was arrested by a black glyph placed right in front of the opposing team's goal, signified by Ruby's boots spread out at more-or-less regulation distance. With a quick tap to ensure the correct course was maintained, the puck shot into the goal without opposition.

Weiss turned and gave Blake a smirk where she stood, dumbfounded in the middle of the ice and unable to react at all. Behind her, Yang and Pyrrha were now rolling on the surface, the both of them pulling each other's jerseys over their heads in some idiotic competition.

She tried the same strategy with good success until Blake figured out the timing, interrupting the meteoric attack with a well-placed stick flung forward. Weiss hit it and went sprawling across the ice, ending up next to where both Nora and Ruby were struggling to extract themselves from where they'd collided and fell face-first into a snowbank.

Weiss sighed, dusting the snow off of herself, and stood back up to see Blake return, a victorious smirk on her face from making a successful goal.

"Are you in any way feeling competitive about this?" Weiss asked curiously.

Blake shrugged. "Not particularly."

"Hmm." The platinum-haired girl eyed the other four girls, none of them looking to be at all invested in the game. She turned back to the Cat Faunus with a hopeful smile. "Coffee?"

The raven-haired girl nodded and returned the smile "Tea."

The two of them, ice skates removed, strode off arm-in-arm towards the cafeteria, leaving their girlfriends, and Nora, behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story credit to joltflier. Just a little fun ice hockey fluff, hope it came out alright considering I've never played hockey, cannot skate, and don't really consider it to be a watchable sport (sorry KellyConnely!).
> 
> Embrace the fluff, and stay shiny!


	81. Chapter 81

"Ladies," Ruby proclaimed dramatically, bouncing up and down on the bed excitedly. "I have an activity for us today!"

"Does it involve remaining in bed?" Blake groused, trying to pull the sheet back up over her head.

"Nope!"

"Then, no."

"C'mon, kitty cat! It'll be awesome!"

Pyrrha groaned quietly, rolling over and grabbing the giggling teen around the waist to drag her back down. "Shhh, little rose, shhh," she pleaded. "It's the day before exams. We do not need the excitement, truly."

"But fluffy fox!" Ruby pleaded intently. "That's why I wanna do this now to cheer everyone up!"

"Do what, now, love?"

"Make cookies!"

Pyrrha regarded the brunette levelly, unable to say no to those mirthful silver eyes that danced so.

"How many cookies?" she sighed finally.

Ruby squealed in delight, peppering her face with kisses. " _All_ the cookies!" she declared in between smooches.

"Will we make sugar cookies?" Blake mumbled from beneath the covers.

"Yep!" Ruby declared, ducking her head under to join her Faunus lover and cover her face in adoration as well.

Eventually, after many more lavishes of affection, the three of them were in the communal dorm kitchen and ready to get to work.

"How much do we have in terms of ingredients?" Blake asked curiously, rifling through the cabinets.

"Oh, tons," Ruby giggled. "Ren gave us free reign."

"That was very nice of him," Pyrrha smiled. "We should make some gingersnaps for him as they are his favorite. Oh, and Nora likes strawberry."

Ruby froze in her action of setting down a bowl big enough for her to sit inside. "Strawberry _cookies_?" she exclaimed.

"Mmhmm."

"Knew I liked that girl," Ruby declared.

"Alright, then," Blake murmured consideringly. "We have enough here to make chocolate chip, butterscotch chip, peanut butter, sugar… I think we can do gingersnap, but I've never made them before… What goes into strawberry cookies?"

"Strawberries," Ruby replied glibly, earning her an amused glare from the Cat Faunus.

"I do know that, sweetie, but what do you use? Fresh strawberries or jam of some sort?"

"I think either would work," Pyrrha mused. "Knowing Nora, she'd appreciate the extra sugar from the strawberry jam."

"Alright then…" Blake paused, looking at the others shyly. "Er, is it alright if I make some special ones?"

"Of course, love," the redhead smiled.

"You betcha," Ruby agreed as well. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well… they're called Robin's Nest cookies. They're a crumbly, chopped-walnut-covered cookie in the shape of a nest, with little blue fondant eggs resting in them."

"Those sound adorable," Pyrrha smiled, sidling around and wrapping her arms around Blake from behind. Ruby did the same from the front, as the both of them picked up on a rather bittersweet feeling from their girlfriend over the Mark. "Where did you learn to make them?"

Blake sighed softly, relaxing into the embrace of the two girls who knew her the best in all of Remnant and would never allow her to feel morose over such memories. "Someone I knew in the White Fang," she murmured. "While it was still just a group dedicated to nonviolent change. Her name was Autumn, another Cat Faunus like myself, and used to make them for me and some of the other kids when our… parents… were out marching and the like." She smiled slightly, willing herself to remember the good from those times and not the bad. "She was like a mother to me, taught me how to make them myself when I was older."

Ruby nuzzled her face into the crook of her neck, giving her a soft kiss there. "What happened to her?" the brunette asked hesitantly.

"She died," the raven-haired girl whispered. "In yet another rally that went wrong."

There wasn't much any of them could say to that, so instead they just remained in each other's arms for some time longer.

"Hey," Ruby murmured as she finally extracted herself. "How about we make those first?"

"That sounds grand," Pyrrha agreed.

"Alright," Blake smiled. "Thank you."

"Of course, kitty cat! So what do we need?"

"Mmm. Let me see…" Blake tapped her chin with a finger as she pulled the recipe from her memory, fond recollections of standing on a stool next to the warm, caring woman as she made them. "Butter, brown sugar, eggs…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit for the story idea goes to Gorsouul. And Robin's Nest cookies are awesome, I got the recipe from my sister-in-law, they're a favorite on the holidays.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	82. Chapter 82

"You know," Blake murmured as she strolled along. "I used to think Patch the most beautiful place during the summer… I might have to revise that opinion."

Pyrrha nodded, holding hands with her on her left and looking around wide-eyed. "It is truly beautiful, is it not?" she breathed.

Their brunette girlfriend giggled and leaned up to plant a quick kiss on the Cat Faunus' cheek from where she had her arm around her on the opposite side. "It's pretty neat," Ruby agreed. "Every Yuletide they try to outdo themselves."

Downtown Patch was a rather quaint village, full of old buildings and shops with protruding window displays. It was the latter that caught the three girls' attentions, and the reason they were wandering downtown in the first place on their initial day of winter break. Each storefront was done up in amazing fashion, some with the assistance of prodigious amounts of ice dust use, others with skillful application of deft, crafty hands that had been doing this as a business for years.

They had arrived last night, along with Yang and Weiss, to spend the week of winter break at the Xiao Long household. There were plenty of preparations to be made, both for decorating the house and in anticipation of numerous guests for Yuletide. Ruby's sister and partner were off shopping for a new tree, as the last artificial one met an unfortunate demise. Tai had managed to burn it down accidentally when he tried setting it up a few days back. To which Yang's response was, "Dad, how have you even survived this long without us at home?"

And while there was plenty of other work to be done, Ruby wanted to make sure the loves of her life got to see the magical displays downtown first.

The three of them stopped in front of one window, arms around each other to stay warm in the crisp winter air. Past the window danced sprites and elves among a frosted woodland landscape, all automated by invisible gears and wires. In the middle was a decorated tree with tiny little presents all piled up.

"I have never, in all my life, seen such a thing," Pyrrha murmured wondrously.

"Nope," Ruby smiled. "It's unique to Patch. We like to keep it a secret, otherwise, we'd get inundated by tourists."

"I can see why," Blake hummed. She sucked in a quick breath as her gaze traveled down to the next store in line. "Oh, my," she breathed, enchanted.

The brunette giggled, tugging the trio forward once more. "Knew you'd like this one, kitty cat."

It was a bookstore, and in the display were cannily-crafted mannequins of, amazingly enough, a Wolf Faunus family curled up together on a couch as the father read from a book. The scene behind them was decorated for the season, and the eyes of the two little boys and adolescent girl were bright and shiny.

"I… I don't know what to say," Blake finally whispered. "I can't imagine such a scene outside of a place such as Menagerie…"

"And the best part?" Ruby said, her own silver eyes sparkling with happiness. "The store owner isn't even a Faunus. But he's always been supportive of Faunus rights, employs some here but doesn't make a big deal about it, y'know? Faunus are just people to him." She turned and gave Blake a quick hug. "He's a really awesome guy."

"Could we come back here?" Blake asked eagerly. "Perhaps after Yuletide?"

"Of course we can!" the brunette chirped.

Her redheaded girlfriend placed a soft kiss on the top of the warm purple beanie Blake had to keep her ears warm. "I think that sounds grand. And they would have after-Yuletide sales, yes?"

"Oooh, I like the way you think, fluffy fox!" Ruby giggled once more, her spirits obviously buoyed beyond measure by the season. "Let's make a date of it!"

"Really, little rose?" Blake smiled warmly. "You'd consider taking me shopping in a bookstore a date?"

Ruby grinned widely and nodded, staring intently into Blake's eyes. "Anywhere I go with you lovely ladies is a date for me."

The raven-haired girl sighed fondly. "I do love you, you know. As silly as you can be sometimes."

The brunette stuck her tongue out briefly before dragging them along the sidewalk once more. "Oh, you know you like that side of me."

"Well, to be fair," Pyrrha interjected humorously, "we love every part of you for who you are."

"And I feel the same about both of you," Ruby stated warmly. "Oh, hey, lookit this one!"

It was a toy store, and in an appropriately grand fashion, done up to look like a Yuletide toy workshop. Conveyor belts carried partially-assembled teddy bears around the perimeter while workers arduously labored over a variety of fun objects for children to enjoy.

"Oooh, look, I used to have one of those!" Ruby shouted excitedly, pointing at a lumpy-looking doll that seemed to be nestled in a leafy plant.

"Oh my Oum, are you serious?" Pyrrha laughed. "So did I!"

"As did I," Blake grinned. "One of the few toys I can recall from my childhood… And it had that catchy tune from the commercials…"

As one, the trio of huntresses-in-training belted out the lyrics for a decade-old toy commercial. The three of them collapsed against each other in a fit of giggles.

"Oh," the redhead sighed, wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes. "This has been a grand day, little rose. Thank you so much for bringing us."

"Mmm," Blake sighed. "I just…" She closed her eyes briefly, soaking in the contentment and love that their bond positively vibrated with, an almost audible hum that accompanied her everywhere. "It seems foolish, but I so look forward to when we no longer have school, just so that our lives can be filled with such moments…"

She felt two sets of arms enfold her, and another tear slipped down her cheek, this time from the sheer happiness that threatened to burst from her chest.

"I do not consider that foolish at all," Pyrrha murmured. "I think of such things as well, our future together… Granted, we have some time before we begin planning the specifics…"

"Doesn't matter, though," Ruby sighed happily. "'Cause no matter what, we'll be together for it."

" _Gods_ , I love you girls," Blake sobbed quietly.

"Don't you start, kitty cat," Pyrrha wailed softly. "Or I shall as well!"

"Oh, you two," Ruby giggled, tightening her hug. "Such softies."

The Cat Faunus barked out a quick laugh, slapping Ruby's arm before pulling back. "Don't give me that, you can be just as sappy."

"Nope," the brunette replied smugly. "I'm _all_ about bein' poised and stuff."

Pyrrha and Blake shared a mischievous glance before turning towards their girlfriend, who let out a startled _eep_ as she spied the intent behind those emerald and amber orbs.

To keep things fair, Ruby didn't use her semblance as the other two chased her through the snow-coated streets, and likely even allowed them to catch up with her once they reached a snowbank on the outskirts.

Perhaps an hour later, the three soaked girls had changed out of their wet clothes and into more comfy attire. Grasping mugs of hot cocoa in their hands, they were snuggled up on the sofa and in front of the fireplace when the front door opened once more and a blonde stamped in, followed by her platinum-haired girlfriend.

"Well, lookit you three lazy bums," Yang laughed merrily, shaking the snow out of her hair. "Lying about while we've been working!"

Ruby snickered and patted the space next to her. "Plenty of room to join in!"

"But we still gotta bring the tree in…"

Weiss stepped up to the taller blond and leaned forward on her tiptoes to brush her lips against her cheek. "Please, Yang?" she asked with a small pout. "I'm cold…"

"Oh, fine, princess," Yang laughed again.

Shortly thereafter, all five of them were contentedly sipping on their hot cocoa and regaling each other with their day so far. Tai made his way into the living room and chuckled at the sight.

"Well, ladies, I see the relaxation is well underway," he smirked. "I thought we were going to get the tree inside tonight?"

He was met by five identically forlorn pouts which caused him to laugh even harder.

"Okay, okay," he relented, backing away with his hands raised. "Tomorrow morning, then. I'll go pick up dinner. Noodles good with everyone?"

"Sounds good dad!" Ruby chirped happily. "You know what we like by now, right?"

Tai nodded and winked at Blake. "I won't forget the extra fish this time."

"Thank you, Tai!" the Cat Faunus replied happily.

The big blond hunter paused at the doorway before stepping back into the room. "You know, girls," he began seriously. "I don't have a problem with you all calling me dad."

"R- Really?" Weiss gasped.

"Certainly," he chuckled in reply at the equally incredulous looks on all of them. "I can tell you're all in this for the long haul, marriage or no." He eyed Blake and Pyrrha in particular. "And if what Rubes here has told me is correct, the three of you are close enough you might as well be married, right?"

"Er, yes… Yes, that's true," Blake blushed.

"Good, then it's settled," he stated firmly, clapping his hands together. "Since we're all family, you call me dad. Be back in a bit with dinner."

Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha grinned widely at each other. "I was wondering what he had thought of the Mark," the Cat Faunus murmured. "But I didn't want to bring it up unnecessarily."

"Well, he was pretty cool about it when I told him," the brunette conceded. "And, y'know… he's dad."

"Yes, he is," the redhead sighed happily. "And he is really quite incredible."

"I'm still at a loss for words," Weiss stated wondrously. "He… He really included me in that? To call him… _dad_?"

"Yep, that he did, beautiful," Yang grinned, hugging the slender girl against her side under the blanket they all shared. "Definitely part of the family now."

Weiss just nodded numbly and leaned her head on the blonde's shoulder, gazing into the fire with a soft smile on her face.

"You know, this really does mean we're all family now," Ruby said with a giggle. "So I get to call you 'sis' now, right, Weiss?"

"No, you do not."

"Aww, c'mon… Wait, your birthday is two months after mine!"

"Ruby…" the platinum-haired girl warned.

"Oh my Oum, I'm a big sister!" the brunette chortled, bouncing in her seat. Only the restraining arm of Blake managed to keep her from bouncing enough to spill everyone's hot cocoa. "You're totally my little sis!"

"But we're still two years apart, dolt. And if anything, I will be your sister-in-law," she mumbled in reply, blushing brightly.

"Why, princess," Yang chuckled, a gleam in her lilac eyes. "Was that a proposal?"

"No, you oaf. What is this, pick-on-Weiss time?"

The five of them settled back, giggling merrily as they relished this feeling of togetherness. All of them bound by love in some fashion or another.

"Yeah," Ruby murmured sleepily. "This is great. I can get used to this."

"Mmm," Blake concurred, nuzzling into the brunette's red-tipped hair.

Pyrrha covered up a yawn before agreeing, wrapping her arms around both Blake and Ruby. "I wholeheartedly agree."

When Tai returned a half hour later, he grinned widely at the five sleeping forms still cuddled up tightly together.

"Well," he murmured fondly. "Noodles can always be reheated." With that, he headed back into the kitchen, humming tunelessly under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was actually at a total loss with what to do for this chapter, I just knew I wanted something before Yuletide itself. And then my oldest daughter suggested doing something like the window displays in downtown New York City during the holidays, and then I finally had a chapter. Yay! So, next up is Yuletide itself.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	83. Chapter 83

Pyrrha was having the strangest dream about being on a moon bounce, unable to escape as she couldn't find the entrance. Only she was surrounded by about a dozen Zwei who were happily bouncing about, yipping cheerfully as she was haphazardly thrown around.

With a start she woke, blinking her eyes open to realize that reality might have had something to do with her dreamscape. Ruby, in her pajamas, was bouncing excitedly on the end of the king-sized bed in her room at Patch. It had replaced the dual twin beds formerly slid together from the past summer, Tai already having it set up for when they got there as his Yuletide present to the three of them.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," the brunette chirped in exhilaration, bouncing in tune to Zwei's ecstatic barks from where he ran in circles at the doorway to the bedroom. "It's Yuletide! We gotta get up and open presents!"

"For the love of Dust," Blake groaned, dragging a pillow over her head. "What time is it? Is the sun even up yet?"

"Time is irrelevant!" Ruby exclaimed. "It's Yuletide!"

"Little rose, please," Pyrrha sighed, blearily reaching out to try and restrain the petite ball of energy. Unsuccessfully, as her aim was hampered by her only halfway-open eyelids. "Just a little more time to sleep? Please?"

"Awww…" The brunette huffed and sat cross-legged at the foot of the bed, arms tightly folded across her chest. Pyrrha let out a small sigh of relief as she stopped moving. "But it's Yuletide!"

"I think we already established that, yes," Blake deadpanned, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Ruby grinned suddenly, her silver eyes alight with mischief. "Y'know… Zwei likes this season as well, he's _reeealy_ eager to get going…"

The corner of the pillow suddenly was propped up, one amber orb glaring in warning. "Don't even think about it."

"I mean, I'd hate to let the little fella just linger on the floor, waiting for us, all lonely and all…"

"Ruby, I swear to Oum…"

Pyrrha giggled behind her hand at her girlfriends' antics. She was fully awake now, but more than willing to let this play out.

"Yeah, maybe I should call him up," Ruby smirked, turning slightly. She let out a _squawk_ as she was instantly tackled by the Faunus in a ninja-like pounce, and found herself pinned to the mattress, the raven-haired girl poised above her on all fours.

"No," Blake stated firmly. "No dogs on the bed, we agreed to this."

"True, we did," Ruby smirked unrepentantly. " _Buuuut_ it gotcha up, didn't it?"

The Cat Faunus gave her a half-hearted scowl. "You suck."

Pyrrha snickered softly, observing the pair with her head propped up on an upraised palm. "I do recall you saying something rather similar last night, kitty cat…"

Ruby barked out an incredulous laugh, turning towards the redhead with an impressed grin. "Nice one, fluffy fox!"

With her head turned, she was unable to block the long, languid lick that Blake gave her up the length of her cheek.

" _Blaaakeeey_ ," she squealed softly, squirming underneath her captor.

"Well, since I have you where I want you," the raven-haired girl replied reasonably. "I figured I would have my way with you."

"Now _that_ ," Pyrrha giggled again, crawling her way over, "sounds like a fun way to start the morning."

An hour later, after they had wrapped up their amorous good-mornings and taken a joint shower, the three of them were dressed casually and seated on the couch in front of the fireplace. The Yuletide tree was in the corner, presents tucked underneath, and garlands and wreaths lined the walls and mantle.

"Ruby Rose!" the redhead gasped as she finally got a look at the time. "It's only just now seven o'clock!"

"Well, yeah," the brunette replied glibly. "But it's Yuletide! C'mon, don't tell me you guys never got up early on Yuletide!"

"No, actually," Blake replied with a soft smile. "But I suppose I don't mind making a new tradition of it."

"I suppose not," Pyrrha agreed with a fond sigh. "But shouldn't we wait for the others?"

"Nope!" Ruby chirped. "Yang won't get up for another hour, I usually had to just sit around, staring at the presents until she got up…"

"What, you never went in and woke her up?" Blake asked amusedly.

"Just the once," Ruby replied with a shudder. "Never again."

"Very well, then," Pyrrha said with a wide smile. "Perhaps we can exchange our presents before anyone else is up?"

"Mmm."

"Yep, sounds good to me!"

The three of them had agreed, since it would get quite a bit expensive buying gifts for everyone around, that the pairs would jointly pick out a present for the third. Hence, the first present out was a small wrapped box from both Pyrrha and Blake, addressed to Ruby.

The petite brunette bounced in her seat as she eagerly unwrapped the gift, still taking the time to carefully slit it open at the seams. When she opened the lid of the flat white box, she read the certificate inside.

"Oh my Oum," she squealed. "A lifetime subscription to _Guns n' Dust_? Oh, you guys know me so well!"

The other two laughed affectionately as the gleeful girl hurtled into their arms, peppering their faces with kisses. "Well, yes I suppose we do," Blake murmured happily. "Now, shall we give fluffy fox ours?"

"Oh, yeah, lemme go get it!" Ruby darted forward, crawling under the tree (much to the delight of her girlfriends) to retrieve the next present.

"Are you guys checking out my ass?" she called out from the depths of the Yuletide tree.

"Nope," they replied simultaneously and with an unrepentant giggle.

"Mmhmm."

Before long Ruby was back on the couch, eagerly handing Pyrrha another small wrapped box. She held one more in her hand of a similar size, and the redhead knew it was the one for Blake, which made her smile widely.

"Very well then," she murmured, flipping the box over and pulling the tape apart. "What have we here…"

Her eyes widened as she opened the lid, revealing a gorgeous emerald necklace that matched her eyes. It was on a long, gold chain and set into a matching pendant.

"Oh, my," she breathed, carefully pulling it out and holding it up to the light. "It's… It is beautiful."

"Almost as much as you are," Ruby giggled.

"Mmm, very smooth, little rose," Blake smirked. "We knew you aren't one for jewelry often, but thought it would go nicely with your dress that you like wearing on our fancier dates."

"Oh, absolutely," the redhead smiled, her eyes watery. "I love it, I truly do, thank you both so much…"

She wasn't as enthusiastic about glomping her girlfriends as Ruby was, but she made sure her affections and appreciation were known to both of her incredible women.

And then it was time for Blake's.

"This feels rather light," the Cat Faunus murmured humorously, hefting her box. "It's not a subscription for catnip, is it?"

"No, but thanks for the idea for next year," Ruby laughed merrily. "Go on, open it!"

The raven-haired girl obliged, her girlfriends waiting eagerly. Blake's brow was furrowed as she withdrew a piece of paper and began to read it.

"It's a voucher for a… tattoo?" Blake blinked her eyes, peering at the other two with confusion evident on her features.

Ruby giggled and nodded rapidly. "Tomorrow, we have an appointment at a parlor in downtown Patch. We're gonna get you a tattoo that matches our Mark, so we can all be the same!"

"Oh," Blake breathed, her breath hitching as her amber eyes grew wide. "Oh, oh, oh… I don't… I'm not even sure what to say, this is…" She hiccuped slightly, raising her hands to her mouth as happy tears began to spill over her cheeks.

Both Ruby and Pyrrha, laughing softly, enveloped their Cat Faunus girlfriend from either side. "Happy Yuletide, my loves," the redhead murmured happily.

"And many more to come," Ruby interjected with a soft smile.

"Oh, gods, how I love you both," Blake mumbled, her voice harsh as she tried to restrain her happy tears.

"We know, kitty cat," the brunette murmured, stroking her hair as Pyrrha rubbed her hands along Blake's back soothingly. "We know."

They had all calmed down significantly by the time a sleepy Yang arrived, towed by an uncharacteristically enthusiastic Weiss.

"Anybody make coffee?" the blonde grunted.

"Not yet, no," her partner chuckled. "Feel free to put some on."

With another bleary grunt, her eyes only halfway open, Yang shuffled off to do just that.

A knock sounded at the front door then, causing Ruby to perk up excitedly. Her dad, however, was already walking by on his way to the kitchen as well.

"Got it," Tai called out, opening the door and then grinning widely. "Hey there, old man!"

"Hey yerself, old man," Qrow chuckled amicably, giving the other Hunter a rough hug. "Happy Yuletide."

"Uncle Qrow!"

Weiss was spun around with a _squawk_ , and both Blake and Pyrrha were left waving their hands in front of their faces to dispel the cloud of rose petals. In the blink of an eye, the angular, raven-haired man was staggering backward, a certain brunette draped from his neck.

"Hi!" Ruby chirped excitedly.

"Oof, son of a Grimm," Qrow laughed. "Did you grow on me, kiddo?"

" _Mmmayyybe_ ," she drawled humorously, hopping back down but giving him a tight squeeze around his waist. She quickly switched targets to wrap Tai up in a hug next. "Morning, Uncle Qrow, morning dad! Happy Yuletide!"

"Coffee's on!" Yang sang out, entering the room with her eyes considerably less clouded. She had two mugs in each hand and gave one that was full to the brim with cream in it to Weiss. She planted a quick kiss on the platinum-haired girl's cheek as she passed, eliciting a quiet giggle.

"Here you go, gents," she snarked, holding the pair in her other hand out to the newcomers. "Just the way you like 'em."

"Why is one of them only halfway full?" Ruby asked curiously.

"That'd be mine," Qrow chuckled, pulling his flash out to add his own special flavoring. "Thanks, firecracker, and happy Yuletide."

Greetings and hugs were passed around, though Qrow raised an eyebrow at the other girls' use of 'dad' when they addressed Tai.

"So, izzat how it is, now?" he laughed. "Well, then, best be calling me 'uncle' as well, I suppose…"

"Or 'old man', that works too," Yang smirked, sitting with her arm draped around Weiss' shoulders.

"Hey now, only this asshole gets to call me that," Qrow retorted, sticking a thumb over his shoulder towards Tai.

Ruby giggled as she walked from the kitchen, balancing three mugs in her hands. "You gonna let him get away with that, dad?"

"What?" Tai grunted mildly. "He's not wrong."

The brunette laughed harder at that, fortunately not spilling her drinks. She handed the sole tea to her Cat Faunus girlfriend, and the other coffee with creamer to Pyrrha. The extra-sweetened one she kept for herself.

Pyrrha waited cautiously for Ruby to take the first sip to ensure she'd gotten them correct. She had made the mistake once of drinking from Ruby's coffee.

The once was quite enough for her lifetime.

More presents were happily exchanged around the tree as the small family laughed and teased each other affectionately. Weiss had managed to get her hands on some experimental Dust ammunition that she cajoled someone she knew to sneak out of the SDC labs in Atlas, much to the brunette's joy.

"Best! Partner! Ever!" Ruby squealed as she tackled the petite white-haired girl.

Weiss let out an exasperated huff as she fell to the floor with the overenthusiastic brunette, but she still returned the hug with a fond smile.

And then, towards the end of the gift-giving, Yang sat up straight with a plush pillow in the shape of a beowolf head clutched in her hands.

"Rubbles! Heads-up!"

Her brunette sister laughed as she caught it, reaching around the side of the couch to retrieve another plush pillow, this one of a corgi head, hurling it towards the blonde. "Back atcha!"

"What in the name of Dust was that all about?" Weiss asked curiously.

Yang shrugged, hugging her new pillow to her chest. "Just a thing me an' Rubes do every Yuletide."

"Yeah, we decided awhile ago just to exchange cute pillows," Ruby chimed in. "That way we don't spend a lotta lien on each other, y'know? Our love is enough."

Tai sighed affectionately at the goofy, beaming grins the siblings shared, and Qrow patted him on the shoulder.

"Even though they're growing up," the raven-haired man rasped quietly, "some things stay the same."

"Yeah," the blond happily agreed. "Couldn't be prouder, actually."

By the second round of coffees, another knock came from the front door. Ruby, being the closest, opened it wide with an equally wide smile.

"Helena! Mr. Nikos!" she burbled happily. "Happy Yuletide! How was the flight?"

"It was well, thank you, dear," the matronly redhead replied warmly as she enveloped the brunette in a hug. "It was so nice of you to invite us."

"Oh, pfft," Ruby giggled. "Yuletide is for family, so why not have all the family together?"

"Well said," Epirus stated, a soft smile on his face as he gave Ruby a hesitant hug next. "And please, call me Epirus." Silver eyes wide, the brunette glanced around his side towards her girlfriends, both of whom were frozen in shock at the sight.

Pyrrha's father cleared his throat and stepped back. "We have a couple of bags in the cab still…"

"I'll help with that," Tai interjected, walking up just then with his hand extended. "Taiyang Xiao Long, but please call me Tai. Welcome to our home!"

Pyrrha laughed lightly as she enveloped her mother in a hug. "What is going on with father?" she whispered incredulously.

"Well, dear," Helena began mischievously, peering around to make sure only her daughter, Blake, and Ruby were in earshot. "He was terribly confused when you told us about the, er, Mating. It would seem the only way he could reconcile this in his head was to interpret it as marriage. So…"

Blake snickered quietly. "So he considers us to be daughters-in-law now?"

"Exactly," Helena beamed, giving the Cat Faunus a tight hug next. "To be fair, even though I fully understand what it means to be Mated, I consider you all to be the same as well. So… welcome to the family, girls."

"And welcome to ours!" Ruby giggled, bouncing on her toes and pulling her forward by the hand. "C'mon, I'll introduce you around…"

Perhaps an hour later, as the extended family was crowded around the living room, exchanging numerous pleasantries, yet another knock came from the front entrance. This time Blake was nearest, as she had just taken her empty tea mug back to the kitchen.

"I have it!" she called out, pulling the portal open. She opened her mouth in greeting but was cut off by an orange-haired ball of energy that flung herself into her arms.

"Oh my Oum, your kitty ears are out!" Nora squealed excitedly. "Happy Yuletide, Blake!"

"Happy Yuletide, everyone," the raven-haired girl chuckled mildly, staggering backward under the affectionate onslaught. She smiled warmly at the others, inclining her head. "Please, come on in and join us."

"Thank you, Blake," Ren replied with a soft smile of his own. He gave her shoulder a squeeze before attempting to pry his girlfriend off. "Nora, come on now…"

"But she's soooo _cute_ with her kitty ears!"

Ren gave Blake a quick wink. "Nora, I see Ruby across the room…"

"Really?" The pinkette's eyes shot over towards her best mischief buddy. "Ruby!" she cheered excitedly.

"Nora!" the brunette cheered back with just as much enthusiasm.

"Hide the breakables," Weiss groaned humorously as the petite zealous pair met with a crash of giggles.

"Hi, Blake," Jaune smiled awkwardly, his arm around Emerald, who was peering inside with an almost morbid curiosity. "Looks like a full house in there."

"Always room for more," the Cat Faunus chuckled, pulling the pair inside. "And how have the two of you been?"

"Really well," the blond boy blushed slightly.

"Oh, really?" Blake remarked, one eyebrow raised inquisitively.

"Yes, really," Emerald answered smugly.

Blake shook her head, laughing softly, as she led the pair inside to participate in the introductions all around.

* * *

Dinner was a spectacular affair, even if some of the diners had to eat out in the living room. Everyone heaped their praises upon the Xiao Long household, girlfriends included, who helped put it all together. Qrow's contribution, several bottles of particularly fine whiskey for after the meal, received suitable appreciation as well from Epirus in particular.

Yang groaned as she reclined on the loveseat, rubbing at her belly. "Ooooh, I think I ate too much..."

"Really, you think so?" Weiss snarked, leaning up to plant a kiss on the blonde's cheek. "Was it the third helping of apple pie, or perhaps the after-dessert monstrous ham sandwich you and Nora split before they departed?"

"Um," the blonde grunted. "Yes."

Ruby chuckled from where she lay, ensconced on either side by a pair of sleepy and snuggly girls. Pretty much everyone else had either left already, their classmates to head over to the Arc household back in Vale and Qrow for parts unknown, or headed to bed. Tai had gotten the Nikos parents settled into the guestroom before he retired for the night, passing around warm hugs to all of the girls and murmuring one last 'Happy Yuletide'.

"Alright, come on then, you great big lovable oaf," Weiss sighed, getting to her feet and pulling Yang's bulk up with her. For such a tiny girl, she had surprising upper body strength.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'," Yang muttered. "Night, all," she yawned, shuffling out of the room with the platinum-haired girl pushing her from behind.

"Good night, ladies," Weiss added with a warm smile.

"G'night, Yang, Weiss," the brunette grinned, her sentiments echoed on either side of her. She listened to the sounds of the other couple as they retreated down the hallway and into Yang's room, closing the door behind them.

She reached over and squeezed the hands of her girlfriends. "You're not going to sleep on me yet, ayra?"

"No, though I must admit, the thought of snuggling in our bed sounds lovely," Pyrrha murmured.

"The bed, it calls to me," Blake sighed, nuzzling into Ruby's shoulder.

"None of that, now," Ruby giggled. "C'mon, I have one more present for us."

"For us?" the redhead questioned, sitting upright. "Whatever do you mean?"

Ruby squirmed in her seat. "Well, I mean… this." She pulled out a small, long, black velvet box from inside her pocket where she'd concealed it earlier. "I didn't wrap it or anything, 'cause, well…"

"What on Remnant has you so anxious?" Blake inquired softly, reaching back and running a hand through her girlfriend's red-tipped tresses.

Wordlessly, Ruby propped the box on her knees and pried it open.

Nestled within were three gold rings, side-by-side. Each band had a trio of stones set in a row, one each of emerald, ruby, and amethyst, but the order of them differed so that they were all unique in which stone was in the center.

"I had these made for us," Ruby explained softly to her stunned girlfriends. She shyly ducked her head down, her face covered by her bangs. "The gems are us, and the one in the middle is who the ring belongs to… I just… I wanted something to show non-Faunus how we're all bound together, y'know? Kinda like promise rings… Not, like, engagement rings or anything…"

Blake reached out and pressed a soft finger to her lips to cut off the rambling. "No, I understand, little rose, it's… It's wonderfully sweet. I love the idea."

"They are quite beautiful," Pyrrha agreed, her voice scratchy from unshed tears. "As is the sentiment. Er… are they sized correctly?"

"Yep!" Ruby grinned. "I have my ways… Can I put them on you?"

Both of her girlfriends nodded their heads quickly, unable to trust their voices anymore. With a warm smile, Ruby slid the amethyst ring onto Blake's finger, and then the emerald one onto Pyrrha's. The ruby one she slid onto her own, holding it out to admire it.

"I really wanted to try it on when I first picked them up," she whispered, ignoring the happy tears that slid down her cheeks. "But I wanted to wait until yours were on."

Pyrrha sniffed, nodding. She held her hand up next to Ruby's and rested her head against the top of the brunette's. "They are so very lovely," the redhead whispered brokenly.

"Yes, they are," Blake agreed, her voice hitching as she leaned in from the other side and held her hand up as well. "Thank you, little rose."

Ruby slowly brought their hands down together until they were entwined on her lap.

"I know it doesn't need said," the brunette murmured. "But I love you both so very, very much."

"And I love you both as well, all of my heart and all of my soul," Pyrrha whispered.

Blake sighed happily, rubbing her cheek against Ruby's shoulder. "You are both my life and my reason for breathing. I truly do love you girls."

The three of them just sat like that, shedding quiet tears of joy at how fortunate they were to have found their soulmates, and how wonderful it was to share the bond they had with each other.

Nothing, not even death itself, would come between them ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuckwaffles. I was crying as I wrote the end of this, dammit, and I'm not embarrassed to admit it. Gods, it feels weird to have written the last chapter for this story.
> 
> The tattoo idea is courtesy of RealTerminal and a few other reviewers, a way for them to share in the Mark together.
> 
> So, this almost wraps things up. Next up we have the two epilogue chapters, on Monday and Wednesday, the ones I've had sitting around already written for some time now. I hope you all enjoy the ending as I've always envisioned it.
> 
> Stay shiny!


	84. Epilogue 1

Ruby hummed to herself contentedly as she finished folding the load of laundry. She'd never realized what a luxury it was to have a washer and dryer in an apartment until after they had graduated from Beacon. Crowded laundry rooms were definitely _not_ part of the academy that she missed.

With a bounce to her step, she strolled out from the bedroom with its king-sized bed, poking her head into the other bedroom of the medium-sized apartment. It had been converted into a gym for the three of them to use, but a certain redhead was no longer present in there, evidently having decided to skip out on her usual routine for the evening. The brunette closed her eyes briefly, sending out a short pulse of her aura along their bond to locate her missing girlfriend, wondering if perhaps she went out for a jog.

"Not gettin' lazy on me, arya?" she called out humorously, following the aura signature to seek out the toned body of the leggy redhead, hopefully still clad in exercise shorts and sports bra.

"Bite your tongue!" Pyrrha, barefoot but still dressed for exercising much to Ruby's delight, exclaimed from the kitchen as the brunette wandered over into the main part of the apartment. It was an open design, the kitchen separated from the living area and small dining room by only a long counter. "I found a new recipe I wanted to try for yogurt salad, it's supposed to be delicious according to the food vid station."

"Sounds… healthy," Ruby commented disdainfully, sneaking a cookie out of the large jar in the shape of an Ursa head and popping the treat into her mouth.

Pyrrha rolled her eyes as Ruby moved behind her, wrapping her arms around her lover's waist. The redhead smiled and placed a hand over Ruby's where they rested. "It is, very much so. And it would not kill you to try eating healthier yourself."

"Never know, it just might," the brunette laughed.

Just then the door clicked open, and a weary-looking Faunus woman wearing business-casual clothing trudged through.

"Honeys, I'm home," she sighed.

"Oh, no! What happened, kitty cat?" Ruby exclaimed, quickly running over to wrap the raven-haired Cat Faunus up in a hug.

"Long day," Blake sighed again, though with a relieved smile from the contact. Even her Faunus ears looked tired and drooping. She'd stopped wearing her bow around their third year and now worked tirelessly for Faunus rights within the local chapter of the reinstated White Fang. The organization had changed leadership once more, but for the better this time, returning to their peaceful roots. Though they had a lot of ill-will and history to overcome, largely due to Blake's efforts they were starting to make real strides.

"I believe I know the remedy for this," Pyrrha said warmly as she enveloped Blake as well. "We need a bad movie night."

"Yes!" Ruby cheered. "Haven't done one of those in ages!"

"That sounds wonderful," Blake said softly, her smile widening.

They had a quick dinner, prepared ahead of time by Pyrrha as Ruby was still not allowed to operate anything inside of the kitchen without close supervision, before snuggling up on the couch together. Pyrrha lay against the arm, one leg on the floor while the other, knee upraised, was against the back of the couch. Blake reclined against her chest so that the redhead might slowly scratch between her Faunus ears, and Ruby curled up against Blake's stomach, her arms securely wrapped around her middle.

The purrs from the raven-haired girl could likely be heard by their neighbors.

Ruby squirmed a little bit to get comfortable. She'd grown some before graduating Beacon, shooting up a total of four inches from when she'd first entered the academy to match Blake's height, or at least where she'd been. The Faunus had managed to hit a late growth spurt of her own without anyone noticing and surprisingly gained another two inches by the time she'd turned eighteen.

All three of the girls took humor in the fact that they were still evenly separated, now by only two inches instead of four, and still fit together perfectly to spoon at night.

"Ruby, have you heard from your sister lately?" Pyrrha asked over the sound of Blake's purrs and the truly awful action movie quietly playing on the vid unit.

"Mmm, yep, just today in fact," the brunette murmured. "She's been acting surprisingly domestic. Like, cooking an' cleaning an' decorating… I dunno what's got into her."

"Married life suits her," Blake laughed. "It won't last, she'll get the itch to go hunt again soon enough."

"True, but I think that is also part of her now," Pyrrha mused. "Perhaps she will alternate between the two passions?"

"Her only real passion is Weiss," Ruby snickered. "I swear to OIum, she's got no place to complain anymore about how we all act."

"Indeed," Pyrrha laughed in return.

"Well, at least she didn't take Weiss' name," Blake smirked. "Yang Schnee just sounds… weird. Oh, hey, before I forget, we got a job offer for this weekend!"

"We did?" Ruby asked excitedly, twisting around so that she could see her girlfriends. "For the three of us?"

Blake nodded with a grin. "Mmhmm. Same village out west. Another pack of Beowolves moved in this week on the outskirts, they would like for us to deal with them before they become a problem."

"Yay!" Ruby cheered. "I get to break my sweetheart out again!"

Pyrrha chuckled lightly. "You are quite lucky we are not the jealous types."

"Aww, don't be that way, _Crescent Rose_ is my first love," Ruby snarked. "But you guys will always be my _best_ loves."

"Now hold on there," Blake admonished with a twinkle in her eyes. "Are you telling me you'd actually rate us higher than your scythe?"

Ruby blinked her silver eyes up at her two lovers. "Well… yeah!"

"Such a romantic," Pyrrha sighed affectionately.

The three of them snickered lightly before turning back to watch the movie, snuggled in tightly together.

"Er, I have some news as well," Pyrrha began hesitantly after some more time had passed. "I spoke with that doctor today."

Ruby sat upright, giving the redhead an eager grin. "Yeah? And?"

"Well, it's certainly doable, but…"

Blake sat up as well, turning so that her back was against Pyrrha's knee. "Is it what I thought?"

"It is, yes," Pyrrha nodded solemnly. "Combining the three of our DNAs would most certainly result in a Faunus child, and the only one able to safely carry her would be you, Blake."

The Cat Faunus shrugged unconcernedly. "And I told the both of you before, I don't have a problem with that."

"Well, it's not like we're planning to do it anytime soon," Ruby murmured. "Still got time to think about it."

"I already have," Blake smiled serenely. "I want to carry your baby, the both of you. It's a done deal."

"Well… alright then," Pyrrha smiled. "Now why don't you lie back down, love?"

"Works for me," Blake replied with a happy sigh.

The three of them resumed their previous positions, though if anything they now held each other a bit tighter.

"You know I love you guys, right?" Ruby murmured.

"And we love you, little rose," Pyrrha smiled.

Blake nodded sleepily. "All our hearts and all our souls."

"You guys ever wanna get married?"

Both Blake and Pyrrha blinked their eyes uncertainly at Ruby's question. "Er… can we, even?" the redhead asked.

"Oh, I bet I could find someone to do it. Nothing says we can't. I just didn't know what you guys thought about it." Ruby kept her head turned away and towards the vid display, her voice casual.

"I would not be opposed," Pyrrha began slowly. "But I'm happy the way we are now. Blake?"

The Cat Faunus shrugged. "Didn't even occur to me it was a possibility, really. But… no, not right now. I'm just happy with the three of us being Mates. Is that okay with you, Ruby?"

The brunette craned her neck up and shot them a cheerful grin. "Yep, works for me. Just so's you know it's a possibility if you wanna sometime."

They settled down one last time, contented smiles on their faces. That night they never even made it back to their large bed, simply remaining cuddled up in each other's arms on the couch.

Safe and secure in their love for one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually had this chapter, and the next, done waaaay back towards the beginning of this story, like around chapter ten I believe. Always knew how I wanted to finish this wonderful little fluffy crack ship. One more to wrap things up, and then we bid these lovely ladies a fond farewell. (And you know what's coming up for the last chapter, right?)
> 
> Stay shiny!


	85. Epilogue 2

Weiss strode down the corridor of the airship terminal with a determined pace. She had her designer purse slung over one shoulder while both hands carried her equally designer luggage bags.

"Willya let me carry your bags, please?" Yang's voice called from behind her.

"You're my wife, not my servant," Weiss answered with the familiar refrain. "I am perfectly capable of carrying my own bags." She shot the blonde an amused glance over her shoulder. "Why do we have this same conversation every time we travel?"

"Maybe because I just wanna carry your bags? Why don't you ever let me carry 'em?"

"Perhaps it's because you're adorable when you pout."

"I don't pout," Yang pouted.

"Yes, dear," Weiss giggled.

The blonde still managed to scurry ahead of the white-haired CEO, grabbing the door handle while clutching a trio of bags in her other strong hand. Weiss gave her a soft smile as she passed, though she did roll her eyes at the extravagant bow.

Outside, an SDC company car was waiting for them. "Mrs. Schnee, Mrs. Xiao Long, a pleasure as always," the chauffeur greeted them amicably, walking around to pop the trunk open.

"Hey there, Richard," Yang called out. "Been awhile, how're the kids doing?"

"Well enough, thank you. Getting bigger and more rambunctious every day."

"Ain't that the way of it, though?"

"Can we get a move on, please?" Weiss asked without any real heat in her voice. She'd already opened the rear door herself and was partway inside. "I have a niece to visit!"

Yang snickered and shot Richard a wink as he closed the trunk. She hopped into the back and slid in next to her petite wife, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Richard wasted little time in getting underway.

They watched the familiar scenery of Vale roll by on the short trip to the apartment. "Yang," the white-haired woman spoke up suddenly. "Do you think they're okay with me missing the birth?"

"Of course they are, princess. They know you couldn't just break away."

"But I should have been there, _you_ should have been there. I suppose I could have skipped out on that last set of proposals…"

"Those same proposals you worked for months setting up? Yeah, I don't think so. You're getting all worried for nothing, sweetie."

"It's a legitimate concern, Yang! What if- _mmmf_!"

Yang quickly sealed her lips over her wife's, cutting off the conversation. Eventually, she pulled Weiss into her lap as she languidly worked her tongue against the smaller woman's, just as she gently massaged Weiss' shoulders and neck. In short order her wife was resting against her chest, limp and relaxed.

"What was I saying earlier?" Weiss asked dreamily.

"No idea, sweetie."

"Oh. Very well then."

Shortly thereafter the luxury car pulled up to the apartment complex. Richard hurried around to open the door before Weiss could get to it herself in her rush to see her dear friends and family again.

"I'll check your bags into your customary suite, ma'am," he informed his boss. "I shall return within the half hour."

"No need, Richard, we'll be here for awhile," Weiss replied with a smile. "I'll call you when we're ready for pickup."

"Thank you, ma'am. Enjoy your stay."

He and Yang shared a quick fist bump behind Weiss' back before the blonde could hurry ahead and open the door once more for her wife. She gave another extravagant bow, this time solemnly uttering, "After you, madam."

"You are such a dolt," the platinum-haired woman sighed affectionately.

One quick elevator ride later and they were knocking on the door of their destination, Weiss bouncing eagerly on her toes in anticipation. They heard Ruby's cheerful voice from within. "It's open!"

As soon as they stepped over the threshold, the both of them were tackle-hugged by a blur of red. "Weiss! Yang!"

"Heya, Rubes!" Yang chuckled, returning the hug tightly. "Did you grow again on me?"

"Oum, please no," Weiss groaned. "It's bad enough I haven't gained an inch since I was twelve… I don't need you towering over me anymore…"

"Nah, don't worry Weissy, still the same!" Ruby cheerfully exclaimed. "How was the flight?"

"Fine, fine, now where is she?" her former partner asked, ice-blue eyes dancing about.

"Eager, are we?" a soft and humorous voice called out. Blake came around the corner, tired bags under her eyes but her Faunus ears were perked upright.

"Blakey!" Yang exclaimed. "Are you supposed to be up and about already?"

" _You_ try keeping her down when she doesn't wanna be," Ruby snorted with an affectionate roll of her eyes.

Yang gave the raven-haired woman an unusually gentle hug before she was replaced by Weiss.

"How are you feeling?" Weiss asked, brow furrowed in concern.

Blake shrugged, a small smile on her face. "Tired, but really good, actually. Few more days and I should be back to normal. Well, close enough, anyway." She turned and began to head towards the bedroom. "Come on back, she's awake."

"You guys ready to meet our little gem?" Ruby asked, bouncing along on her toes.

"Am I ever!" Weiss answered, an identical bounce in her step

Yang glanced about the apartment, looking at it in a different eye now. "Hey, Rubes, you guys gonna move into something bigger now?"

"Eventually, yeah, maybe just a three-bedroom. Figure there's time enough, she's fine in with us right now."

They entered the room to see Pyrrha sitting in a rocking chair on the other side of the king-sized bed. A crib was set up against the wall next to the dresser, well away from both door and window.

Weiss eagerly scampered over to peer down at the bundle in the redhead's arms. "Can I see her? Can I see her?"

"Hello, Weiss, nice to see you too," Pyrrha chuckled. "And yes, you may."

She gently turned the bundle around, pulling the blanket back to reveal a small, inquisitive face. The baby had a tuft of red on the top of her head that matched the sparse downy hair along her face and arms, as well as the pair of Cat Faunus ears that perked up at the newcomers. She stared out at them with bright, curious silver eyes.

"Oh my Oum," Weiss sighed, her eyes tearing up. "Hello, Garnet. I'm your Aunt Weiss."

"Heya, Gigi," Yang chuckled lightly, bending over to stroke a tiny hand with her finger. "And I'm your Auntie Yang. We're gonna be best buds, you an' me."

"Oh, I can just hear it now," Blake laughed. "'But mommy, Auntie Yang said it was okay! Why can't I try to ride a Nevermore?'"

The five of them shared an amused chuckle as Weiss bent down over the softly cooing baby.

"She is so precious," Weiss whispered. "Yang?"

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"I want one."

"UhhhhhhOokaaay? When?"

"We'll work that out."

Blake sighed as she dug a ten-lien note out of her pocket and slapped it into the palm of a smirking Ruby.

"Really, Rubes?" Yang deadpanned.

"Hey, you're my sister," Ruby scoffed. "But I know my partner, too. It was gonna happen."

"Can I hold her?" Weiss asked softly, ignoring the others.

"Of course you can," Pyrrha smiled warmly, carefully transferring the bundle into Weiss' arms. The small woman gazed down in wonderment at the tiny little life who regarded her solemnly.

"She seems so… serious," Weiss murmured.

"Aw, she doesn't stay that way, believe you me," Ruby chuckled. "Here, lemme show you Pyrrha's favorite game."

The brunette stepped over and pulled Weiss' long side ponytail over, using the end of it to tickle Garnet's face. The baby screwed up her mouth into an approximation of a smile, and happy burbles began to issue forth.

"Oh my Oum," Weiss squealed softly. "Yang, I want one now!"

Yang shook her head and laughed quietly. "Yeah, okay sweetie." She paused and shot the others a look as Ruby pulled her newly-earned lien out and passed it over to Pyrrha, to be joined by another one from a rather disgruntled Blake.

"I am very disappointed in the both of you," the tired-looking Cat Faunus grumbled towards Yang and Weiss.

"And you, kitty cat, underestimate the power of babies," Pyrrha replied smugly, slipping the notes into her pocket as she stood up from the chair.

"You three," Yang sighed in amusement. "Never a dull moment, huh?"

"Nope," Ruby grinned. "Never ever."

Pyrrha walked over, slipping an arm around the brunette as she watched Weiss sway back and forth, making soft nonsensical sounds at their child. "And I doubt that would ever change."

Blake laughed, stepping up on the other side and draping an arm around them both. "Would you want it any differently?"

"Nope," redhead and brunette replied with an identical smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The baby's full name, for the curious, is Garnet Summer Belladonna, taking Blake's surname as she carried her. Now, I know some folk may be left with questions. What do Pyrrha and Ruby do for a living? How long is this after they graduated? What does Tai think about being a grandpa? What happened with Jaune and Emerald, or Neo for that matter? I'm intentionally leaving stuff vague. Use your wonderful imagination to fill in the blanks any way you like, just imagine the fluffiest ending possible. Though I do really like Marauderby's idea of Glynda hearing of Purruby's child and declare she's out. Pre-emptive retirement, so long as Oz doesn't guilt-trip her into returning...
> 
> So there we go, this brings our fluffy little tale to a close, sadly enough. I have had such an unbelievably fun time writing this, and I thank you all for taking this journey with me, for your encouragement and reviews. I couldn't have done this without the support of close friends like KellyConnely, or other writers such as kaiju62, Jefardi, NobleMETA, Phoenix Commander, RedWing36, l OmegaInfinity l, FourNails1341, and many talented others. And then there's you, the readers, gods I cannot express how much it means to me that you all had found something worthy in what started out as just a whimsical piece of pure fluffy crack ship.
> 
> And somehow evolved into so much more.
> 
> Honestly, I'd not come across a Purruby fanfic before and wasn't even sure how it would be received. At best, maybe a dozen chapters or so. (Ha!) And if it weren't for all of you, that's all there would be.
> 
> Five months, almost 171k words, and 85 chapters later, and we're done. Hard to believe.
> 
> I hope to see you in some of my other stories, and please do follow me as an author if you want to see what the next crazy idea I decide to go with might be. 
> 
> Stay shiny, my friends. Stay shiny.


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